The Heart of Eternity
by Shelly3
Summary: There's the legend about the seven Millennium Items. But what if there was another that no one knew about? A SetoOC fic! I promise you'll like it! Please R&R! Complete
1. Chapter One

Author's note: Hi, everyone! It's me, trying out my hand at Yu-Gi-Oh! BWAHAHA!!! Nothing is safe from my imagination!  
  
Bakura: Hey, aren't I supposed to do that?  
  
Shelly: I'm an authoress, so I claim exclusive rights to that.  
  
Bakura: O-kay.   
  
Shelly: That's all right, you'll be okay.  
  
Bakura: It's you I'm worried about.  
  
Shelly: *sigh* Why don't you go spend some time with Mau or something? (She's from Schala's excellent fics, who Biowolf posts fics for. Go read 'em now!)  
  
Bakura: Her brother won't let me.  
  
Shelly: Since when have you let Valon get in your way?  
  
Bakura: -_- You'd enjoy seeing me get thrashed, wouldn't you?  
  
Shelly: *smiles real big* You betcha!  
  
Bakura: Ra help me.  
  
Hope you all enjoy it! Please review and let me know!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
The yelling and screaming had been going on for hours as the accusations flew back and forth between the two adults, leaving no doubt that the entire neighborhood would have heard them. Only one other was there, and she wished fervently that she was somewhere else right now. It was always like this whenever her father drank, and her mother wasn't much better as she always yelled at him whenever he did. It was enough to make her head hurt, and she managed to slip out her window to go around to the front porch where she could get some air. Her parent's voices still raged inside, but they were muted enough to the point where it was bearable.  
  
The evening sun lit the sky beautifully in various shades of pink and gold, touched on the edges with tints of violet and indigo. The air was cool against her skin, but she didn't care as long as she was away from them, the breeze playing through the dark strands of her hair and fanning them around her shoulders. Her green eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill forth as she clutched the pendant she wore under her white sweater.  
  
It was all she had left of her grandmother, the only person who had truly cared about her in her whole life, perhaps even more than her true parents. But in the end even they came to understand her importance, and ended up protecting her at the cost of their own lives. It was a nightmare that she experienced every night of her life since then, leaving her with little sleep and even less hope for her future. Why? Why did they sacrifice themselves for her and leave her to live in this hell that was her life?  
  
A ragged sob was torn from her throat, and she ran blindly out into the evening darkness, not looking where she was going and not caring in the least. All that mattered was that she needed to get away from here, away to a place that was quiet and could afford her some time to herself.   
  
She crashed into someone, feeling them both crash to the ground, and the palms of her hands were skinned as she tried to break her fall. Her eyes opened when she heard a boy's voice ask her if she was all right, and she looked up to see a boy about her age leaning over her and offering his hand to help her up. All she could see was his blond hair hanging into his brown eyes, which seemed to be genuinely concerned for her, and she swatted his hand away.   
  
"I don't need your help," she told him, her voice sharp and full of pain.  
  
He straightened up with his hands crossed in front of his chest, a disapproving scowl on his face. "Dat wasn't very nice of ya," he pointed out. "I was jus' tryin' ta help."  
  
She glanced at her stinging palms and clenched them tightly, ignoring the pain. "Look, I said I don't need your help, all right? I just want to be left alone!" Tears were leaking from her eyes now, and she hastily wiped them away with the back of her hand.  
  
He stood there a moment, his head turning towards her house when he heard the voices from inside, and his features softened towards her as he knew what she was going through. Not caring in the least what she thought, he sat back down beside her, ignoring her sound of protest. "Lissen, I know what you're goin' through, an' bein' alone isn't the answer," he told her softly.  
  
She looked over into his dark eyes, feeling very vulnerable and yet trying to stay defensive as it was her only defense against being hurt. Over the years she had learned that it was easier being alone, especially since everyone that had cared for her was dead, and she was afraid of it happening again. "I suppose you're going to be the one to tell me what is, right?" she asked bitterly.  
  
To her surprise, he smiled, and she actually thought that he looked cute, something that shocked her. "Na, dat's not what I'm gonna do," he replied. "Ya have ta find it yaself. But I can say dat it helps ta have friends who know how ya feel." Then he studied her features for a moment, thinking that she looked familiar as well as one of the cutest girls he had ever seen. "I've seen ya 'round school, haven't I?" he asked.  
  
She was caught off guard by the sudden change in conversation. "I think so," she replied slowly. "What's your name?"  
  
"I'm Joey, nice ta meet ya," he offered, holding out his hand for her to take.  
  
"I'm Shari," she answered, taking hold of his hand for a second before letting go. His hand had been warm and strong, speaking of confidence and a strong will.  
  
He cocked his head at her in confusion. "Sherri?" he repeated.  
  
She sighed, becoming used to it by now that no one could pronounce her name correctly. "No, it's Shari. The 'a' is like the 'a' in car. Sha-ri."  
  
"Oh, right!" he exclaimed, putting a hand behind his head. "Sorry 'bout dat!"  
  
She couldn't help but smile at him. "Your accent is heavy," she pointed out. "Are you American?"  
  
He nodded. "Sure am!" he replied proudly. "I'm from New York! And ya sound like you're not from 'round here either."  
  
"No, I'm not," she said. "I was born in Egypt, but both my parents were American."  
  
He heard the pain in her voice and decided not to press her any further. But if she referred to her parents as dead, then who was she living with? A family member, maybe? Just then their time was interrupted by a woman yelling at her from the front door, and her words were not kind.  
  
Shari looked away, wishing Joey didn't have to hear that. But she turned back when she felt his hand light on her shoulder. "I'm sorry about that, Joey," she said softly.  
  
He smiled sympathetically. "Ah, it's okay. Don' worry 'bout it. See ya at school tamorrow?"  
  
She returned his smile. "Of course." She rose to her feet as he did, and they gazed into each other's eyes for an awkward moment. "Thank you, Joey," she said. "I'm sorry that I acted the way I did at first."  
  
He waved it off. "Don' mention it. See ya latah!" Then he started off in the direction he had been going.  
  
She sighed. "Yeah, see ya, Joey," she whispered. "If I live that long after tonight," she added, bracing herself for what was to come once she went inside. Whenever her parents were like this, it was rare that she was excluded from their anger, and after what her mother saw she knew she was in for it.  
  
**************  
  
Well, what did you all think? Like it? Hate it? Don't care either way? Good, neither do I! Just kidding!   
  
Thanks for reading! C-ya!  
  



	2. Chapter Two

Author's note: Wow, thanks guys for the reviews! Robin, your fic is wonderful! I haven't finished reading it yet, but I plan to soon! And thanks so much to Schala for helping me with my many questions. She's even let me borrow Valon to do my disclaimers! Speaking of him...where is he?  
  
Valon: Ryou, give that back, right now!  
  
Ryou: Over my dead body!  
  
Shelly: Whoa, what's going on here? What are you both fighting about?  
  
Valon: Whatever this is in this bag, it's delicious! Of course, Ryou had to poke his nose in it, and he took it away from me!  
  
Shelly: Ryou, give it here. *looks inside bag* I can't believe you both were fighting over my Honey Nut Chex Mix! I thought you both were more mature than that!  
  
Ryou: But it's so good...  
  
Valon: Very!  
  
Shelly: *looks back inside bag again* O_O And you both ate it all?! That's it! You both are going to get me another bag! Now march!  
  
Valon: But--  
  
Shelly: No buts!   
  
Ryou: There's still the disclaimer to do.  
  
Shelly: *thinks a moment* Alright, Ryou can go get the Chex Mix. Valon can stay and do the disclaimer.  
  
Ryou: *leaves with a big grin on his face*  
  
Valon: Ryou Bakura, you'd better come back with an unopened bag! *clears throat* All right then. Shelly doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Chex Mix for that matter. But as soon as Ryou gets back, the bag is mine!  
  
Shelly: *pushes Valon over* Not if I have anything to say about it! Thanks again for reviewing, everyone!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
The next morning, she awoke tired, stiff, and hurting from the night before. True to her word, she had bore the brunt of her mother's anger, and now after a restless night of sleeping she felt like she had been used as a punching bag. Standing under the shower, she let the warm water ease some of her body aches, although it could do nothing for the bruises that raised in colored splotches along her skin. Her scalp was tender from where her hair had been nearly yanked from her head, but that was all she usually suffered from above the shoulders. Her parents were very careful not to leave any visible bruises as any of the school teachers might see them and know that she was being abused.  
  
She knew she should talk to the teachers about her problems, maybe even contact the police as well, but what good would it do her? Sure, her parents would be arrested but then she would only be moved into another foster home until she was of age, which was only three years away. Three years. If she could hold on that long, she would be free of them. Her grandmother had seen to it that she could take care of herself, leaving her a sizeable inheritance. A small part of it she set aside for her to use now; the rest would be available whenever she turned eighteen. And when she did, it was adios to Japan, and hello to America since that was where her grandmother had lived.  
  
She was soon finished showering, and she quickly dried herself off before either of her parents demanded their share of the bathroom time, although they were more than likely still in the bed since she was up early getting ready for school. Wrapping her hair in a towel, she brushed her teeth then walked into her bedroom to pick out what she would wear today. She picked out a black long-sleeved shirt that said, "If I close my eyes real hard, will you disappear?" It was by far one of her favorites, and generally assured her that she wouldn't be bothered at school, which was the way she liked it. Together with a pair of jeans and black shoes, she was ready to face the day, except for combing out her wet hair and tying it back into a ponytail at the base of her neck.   
  
Her hair was probably the most striking feature about her since it started out a deep black at the roots and changed to a deep crimson color right about shoulder-length, the colors appearing as a layered effect rather than an outright line of color. Many people thought she had it colored that way, but it had been that way ever since she was born, and she had grown used to the attention it brought. Whenever anyone tried to speak to her about it. She had gained the reputation of being aloof from everyone else, and some would even say snotty, but she managed just fine on her own without the help of others. She had experienced too much loss in her life to feel the need to reach out to anyone else in her life.  
  
Gathering her bookbag, she slung it over her shoulder and walked down the hall, not bothering to eat anything as she usually grabbed something at school. Her parents never bought anything edible enough for her to eat anyway since they lived on nothing else except coffee, beer, and cigarettes. Stepping outside, the cold morning air hit her in the face, but instead of complaining she found it exhilarating and started off towards school with something near to a spring in her step. She wondered if she would see Joey today, but quickly squashed that thought before it began. It would do him no good to get involved in her troubles, and would only bring more trouble upon her in the end.  
The morning flew by quickly, and soon it was time for lunch. She grabbed a few fruits from the cafeteria and went outside to sit against the side of the school to get a headstart on some of her homework. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't see the small group of friends that stood nearby, watching her silently as they spoke quietly amongst themselves.  
  
They usually spent their lunch period playing a quick game of Duel Monsters, but today they decided to play outside as the temperatures had turned out mild for a change and they wanted to enjoy the weather. Joey had sat down and started shuffling his deck when he saw her sitting alone, and all thoughts of playing disappeared as he remembered their conversation from the evening before.  
  
Tristan and Yugi noticed him space out all of sudden, and Tristan waved a hand in front of his face to try and get his attention. "Hey, Joey! Anyone in there? Hel-lo?"  
  
Yugi looked to see where his friend's attention was, and his eyes widened when he saw the object of Joey's eye. "Tristan, hold on. I think I see what he's looking at," he said as he pointed in Shari's direction. He noticed that she looked about the same age as them, and knew from watching her that she was a loner and preferred to be alone. But why would she catch Joey's interest so completely all of a sudden?  
  
A wide grin appeared on Tristan's face, and he slapped his best friend solidly on the back, jarring the blond from his trance. "Hey, you guys, Joey's got himself a crush on some girl!" he exclaimed, catching the attention of Tea and Ryou, who had started a game of their own.  
  
Joey nearly fell to the ground. "I do not! I was jus' tryin' ta figga out what her shirt said, dat's all."  
  
Tristan elbowed him. "Yeah, whatever. I know you can't see that far."  
  
Yugi laughed silently at them, then he noticed a familiar glow from the corner of his eye. When he looked, he saw that one of Ryou's Millennium Ring pointers was glowing and aiming straight at the girl. "Ryou, look. Your Ring's glowing again like it did when we were at Duelist Kingdom. And it's pointing towards her. I wonder what it means?" He knew very well what it meant as the Millennium Ring was able to find other Millennium items, but as far as he could see she wasn't wearing anything that resembled an item.  
  
His curiosity aroused, he started walking towards her. Joey noticed and quickly stepped in front of him. "Where ya goin', Yug?" he asked. Yugi explained what had happened, and Joey glanced over at her with a sigh. "I admit I know her, guys," he explained. "I ran inta her last night, literally ran inta her. She seemed troubled, an' we talked a little. I get da sense dat's she doesn't like people ta pry inta her personal business, so take it easy on her, 'kay?"   
  
"What better person to talk to her than you, right Joey?" Tea offered. "Go on over there and we'll stay here until you think it's safe for us to come over."  
  
Joey hung his head. "Ahh, why is it always me?" he moaned. Then he straightened up and squared his shoulders, beginning to walk over there and wondering why he was so nervous all of a sudden. Last night they had gotten along well, but that was last night. He knew enough about the female gender to know that they suffered from extreme mood swings sometimes, and wasn't sure how she would greet him this time.  
  
He was halfway there when she glanced up and saw him coming towards her. He tried to act nonchalant about it, playing that he was just walking by and hadn't noticed her, but all that earned him was a sudden fall flat on his face when he tripped on the edge of the walkway. He lay there groaning as his friends had all passed out as well from embarrassment.  
  
Shari had seen him and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face, as well as the giggle that rose up from within her. She knew he was trying to come over and talk to her, and she felt bad that he had tripped and fell all because of her. "Joey, are you all right?" she asked as she ran over to him and knelt at his side.  
  
He sat up on his own and rubbed at his forehead, his cheeks flaming from embarrassment. "Ah, I'm okay," he assured her.  
  
"Let me take a look at that," she said as she batted his hand away and sifted her fingers through his bangs to push them out the way. He was lucky that he didn't cut himself, but there was going to be one heck of a bruise there in a few hours. "You'll be okay. It's just bruised." She couldn't help but think that he looked cute sitting there blushing, and she quickly wiped the smile from her face. For one thing it was causing him further embarrassment as he probably figured she was laughing at him, and another was that she didn't want to seem too friendly around him and give him the wrong idea.  
  
Then she heard the sound of footsteps drawing near, and she rose to her feet to see a group of what appeared to be his friends coming his way. She started to leave, but Joey had gotten to his feet and stopped her with a touch to her hand. "Shari, wait," he said. "I wanted ya ta meet some friends a' mine."  
  
She turned and fixed him with a pleading glare. "Joey," she warned him softly.  
  
"Look, jus' do dis for me, 'kay," he persuaded her. "You'll be glad ya met 'em."  
  
She sighed and nodded once, facing his friends with her best friendly smile plastered on her face. "If you think so," she replied.  
  
Yugi was the first to arrive, noticing with a little chagrin that she was taller than him. Was he destined to remain vertically challenged forever? "Joey, are you all right?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. "Guys, dis is Shari. Shari, dese are my friends." He introduced each of them to her, keeping a watch on Ryou's Ring and noticing that it was still pointing towards her. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he knew it was strange.  
  
She said hello to each of them as they were introduced, and she also noticed that the strange item the one called Ryou wore was acting strange. She knew enough of Egyptian mythology to know that his pendant was made during that time period, and that of Yugi's as well, which interested her. "Might I ask how you got your...um...what is it?"  
  
Yugi brightened at the mention of his Puzzle. "Oh, it's my Millennium Puzzle. My grandfather brought it back from when he went to Egypt."  
  
"What is your grandfather's name?" she asked. "Perhaps I know him as I grew up there." He told her his name, and she thought a moment before she remembered. "Yes, I remember someone by that name. It's been a few years, though."  
  
"Great! I'll mention your name to him and maybe he'll remember you!" he said, clearly excited that his grandfather might know of her. Now that he was closer to her, he understood where Joey's perception of her came in as it appeared that she held a great sadness deep within her. As well as a great deal of pain, and he wondered if Yami had anything to do with his perceptions of her since he was able to do such a thing.  
  
She beheld the Puzzle with a keen interest that baffled her, and it was then that she asked a very unusual question. "Do you mind if I look at it for a moment?"  
  
"No, of course not," he replied, wondering at the request himself. He looked to Joey, who shrugged.  
  
Shari crouched down in front of him and gently took the Puzzle into her hands, turning it so that she saw every facet of it before looking at the Eye on the front of it, running her thumb over it slowly and feeling its smoothness. It seemed then that a stray shaft of sunlight hit it and reflected off its surface, or maybe she was crazy and the Eye began to glow. Whatever it did, she was suddenly rocked back on her heels as she felt an ancient presence within it, answered by a stirring within her own pendant which she wore hidden behind her shirt.  
  
Her shock must've shown on her face as she saw five pairs of concerned eyes directed her way, Yugi's especially as he felt it also, but even more keenly since his soul was bonded so closely to Yami's. He knew immediately that whatever she carried wasn't evil. Instead it had evoked a strange feeling from the spirit within the Puzzle, one of sadness and heartache.  
  
This time it was Joey's turn to be concerned as he knelt down beside her. "Shari? Are you okay?"  
  
She shook her head to try and clear her head of the strange feeling, but she knew that she would never forget what happened today. In fact she meant to find out once she arrived at home when she would have time to check it out. "I'm okay, Joey," she said, accepting his proffered hand and slowly getting to her feet.  
  
"Are ya goin' ta need help gettin' ta your other classes?" he asked, wondering what had happened. He knew that if anyone knew it would be Yugi, and he planned to find out soon enough.  
  
She shook her head in reply. "No, thank you anyway. I need to be going. Lunch is almost up." She walked back over to get her books, and Joey couldn't help but notice that she walked with a slight limp.  
  
Concerned, he walked over to her. "Would ya like me ta walk ya home aftah school?"  
  
She pushed dark bangs out of her eyes as she looked up at him. "Joey, I appreciate the help. But it would only mean more trouble for me. The best thing you can do to help is just to stay away from me." Then she quickly disappeared inside the school before he had any time to respond.  
  
He stood there staring after her, wondering what she meant. Then he remembered last night and the way her mother had spoken to her. Surely she wouldn't...not her own daughter! Was that what she meant by trouble?  
  
Yugi stepped near him with his hand resting on his Puzzle. "I must say, Joey, that she's strange. What happened was strange. I wonder what it all meant?"  
  
Joey sighed heavily as the more he saw her, the more worried he became for her. "I don' know, Yug. But one ting's for sure. I'm worried 'bout her...'bout her safety."  
  
*****************  
  
Joey's beginning to suspect something's happening. And he'll soon find out when something terrible happens to Shari that could almost kill her! Thanks for reading! C-ya!  
  



	3. Chapter Three

Author's note: Thanks everyone for reviewing! I'm glad you think I'm doing such a good job. I'm really enjoying writing this fic!  
  
Shelly: Valon, your sister's a little embarrassed by your behavior with the Chex Mix.  
  
Valon: O_o I'm sorry, Mau.   
  
Shelly: But Schala sent you a bag so that you wouldn't get in trouble.   
  
Valon: ^__^ Thanks, Schala! She's always looking out for me!  
  
Shelly: The only thing now is where's Ryou? He hasn't gotten back yet, and the weather's supposed to get bad tonight.  
  
Valon: I'll go find him. I hope he hasn't been eating the entire store out of them.  
  
Shelly: Thanks, Valon! Here's the next chapter, and hope you enjoy it!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER THREE  
Yugi sat on his bed, balancing his mathbook on his leg as he tried to do his homework for the next day. Normally he didn't have any problems doing it, but today he was distracted by Yami, who was sitting at the other end of his bed staring with a forlorn gaze out the window. He had never seen him like this as he was used to seeing him be so confident and sure of himself. But now it seemed as if he was missing something, some part of himself, and Yugi wondered if it had anything to do with Shari.  
  
"Yami, please tell me what's wrong," he finally said. "And don't say there isn't because I feel it, too."  
  
Yami sighed and turned his troubled gaze to Yugi. "I would tell you if I knew what it was myself," he replied. "The girl from earlier today...I sensed something from her when she touched the Millennium Puzzle, a presence that eluded me."  
  
"Is it evil?" Yugi asked, swallowing deeply. "Does it mean trouble for us?"  
  
Yami smiled almost wistfully then. "No, I did not sense that about her. Maybe if I saw her again I could find out more about what is troubling both of us."  
  
"I can give Joey a call and ask him if he knows where she lives," Yugi suggested.  
  
For the first time Yami appeared uncertain. "I am not sure if that is best..."  
  
Yugi smiled at the thought that the King of Games would be nervous around members of the opposite sex. "Come on, Yami. How else are you going to find out?" Hopping off the bed, he rushed downstairs to call Joey.  
  
Shari was seated on her own bed, having found some time to herself after finishing her homework, and was now holding the pendant loosely in her hand, feeling the strange power that it exuded ever since she touched Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. It even seemed to shimmer more brightly than it ever had before, and the markings on it were clearer, making her think of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. Maybe if she just rubbed it, it would transport her to a different world, one where she was free and could do what she pleased. She would have loving parents to look after her and love her...and her beloved grandmother would be back with her again.  
  
It was too much to wish for, and she slipped it back onto her neck, feeling strangely sleepy as she stretched out to take herself a quick nap. As she drifted into sleep, her dreams became troubled as she seemed to be in a different time, back in ancient Egypt if she was correct.   
  
She was inside a large room with giant pillars along both sides, one side with what appeared to be small pine trees between them and the other open to the darkness of the night. The night breeze played among the light, airy drapes, causing them to dance merrily. She became aware that she was lying on a bed covered with linen sheets, and she herself was dressed in a linen gown as well. Tears lined her face, why she didn't know, but a great sadness filled her heart.  
  
Sitting up, she saw at the other end of the room, in front of a fireplace with a dancing fire inside, another figure, a man which she didn't know. But there was a feeling deep inside her that told her that she loved him, and loved him deeply, and that was why she was crying this night. Easing off the bed, she walked slowly towards him, the breeze caressing her skin and blowing her gown around her legs as well as teasing her hair around her shoulders.  
  
The man turned and looked back at her, and she was shocked to see that it looked just like the young boy she had met earlier, only older and infinitely more wiser. His eyes also held a great sadness within them, as well as evidence of tears that left wet, silvery tracks down his cheeks. He stood as well, and as his gaze slid across her she saw in its depths the incredible love he felt for her. She thought she would never see a more handsome sight in her life. He was obviously a Pharoah as he wore the customary bands around his upper arms and wrists, and a gold choker around his throat. The Eye of Ra sat lightly upon his forehead, and he wore nothing else except a pair of loose pants made of fine linen.  
  
Her eyes roamed over him, committing every detail to memory as she knew this was a dream and that when she awoke she wouldn't remember any of it. Question was, who was he? And what did he have to do with her?  
By the time Yugi and Yami met Joey, darkness was beginning to creep across the land. The wind, which had been strong earlier, had now died down to a near calm, and the clear skies above promised that temperatures would be dropping tonight to a bitter cold. It took some time for them to find her house, but when they did, their hearts leapt into their throats as they beheld the sight before them.  
  
The house was burning. It appeared as if it had started a short time ago since it was still for the most part contained within the house, but they knew that soon it would consume the entire house if they didn't do something soon. A crowd had already gathered around, and they learned that someone had already called the fire department.   
  
Yugi, Yami, and Joey ran around the house, mainly following Yami as he seemed to have picked up on something. "Yami, what is it?" Yugi panted, amazed at the amount of heat coming from the house as black smoke curled up into the night sky. "Do you know where she is, or if she's in here?"  
  
Yami stopped for a moment as he gazed at the windows that faced him, the eye flaring to life on his forehead. "She is here, but she is asleep. We need to try and get her out before the fire consumes her life." He located the window that belonged to her room, and they searched around to find something to bust the window out with before it was too late.  
Shari had no time to wonder at who was in her dream before she slowly drifted away into wakefulness, suddenly aware that it was incredibly hot in her bedroom. Smoke filled her lungs, and she coughed as she fought for air. She couldn't believe that the house was burning, and she quickly dropped to the floor to try and find some clean air to breathe. There wasn't much, but just enough, and she knew she had to get out of here soon.  
  
Standing up, she made her way towards the window and managed to pull up the inside window. She had to take a quick breather before opening the outer portion, and she gasped as she breathed fresh air. But then something happened that she didn't expect as she saw something coming through from the other side, something that she collided with that knocked her back inside.  
"Ow!" Joey cried after he had fallen back outside, clutching his head. "I think I hit her as she was trying to come out."  
  
"She fell back inside," Yugi pointed out. "We've got to get her out!"  
  
Yami had already jumped to the windowsill and climbed inside, coughing himself as he breathed of the smoke. He picked up Shari and pushed her out the window into Joey's waiting arms, soon following after her as he leapt from it to the ground. She was lying on the ground, seemingly unconscious, but after a few moments she came around as coughs racked her body.  
  
Thankful to be alive, she looked up at her burning house and wondered what had happened to have caught it on fire. But she couldn't bring herself to feel anything else as she had never grown attached to the house or the people that lived within it. A figure moved into her line of sight, and she saw it was Joey. Joey had saved her. "Joey," she breathed.  
  
"'Ey, she's okay!" he cried.  
  
"Great," another voice replied. "Now we've got to get her out front so that an ambulance can get to her."  
  
She recognized that voice as Yugi's, and she looked around to find him, but instead saw someone straight out of her dream. Her eyes widened, as did his own, but then a coughing spasm overtook her and when she searched again she didn't see him anywhere. Had she imagined him, or was he really real?  
  
****************  
  
Shelly: *nervously pacing* Where's he gone to now?  
  
Valon: I'm back! *drags something in the door that's screaming and kicking in Ancient Egyptian*  
  
Shelly: What's going on?  
  
Valon: I found him trying to use the Millennuim Ring to steal all the Chex Mix from all the stores.  
  
Shelly: I guess instead of being a tomb robber, he's now a Chex Mix robber. (I don't own Chex Mix!)  
  
Bakura: And I would've done it if not for Valon! Let me go!!!  
  
Shelly: You'll be all right, Bakura. Perhaps if you're nice, I'll ask Schala to let Mau come and visit you while you recover.  
  
Bakura: Mau? Of course, I'll do anything for her!  
  
Valon: -_- That's what I'm afraid of.  
  
Shelly: ^_^;;; Heh, thanks for reading! C-ya! 


	4. Chapter Four

Author's note: Hi, it's me again! Here to torment your reading experience once again!  
  
Bakura: BWAHAHAHA!!!  
  
Shelly: *whacks him on the back of the head* Don't mind him. He's still delirious from all the Chex Mix he ate. Too much sugar.  
  
Mau: You didn't have to hit him on the head, though.  
  
Shelly: Oh, you're here! I guess Schala said you could visit for one chapter. I suppose he'll be all right with you here now.  
  
Valon: Not if I have anything to say about it. Besides, I'm a little more worried about what happened to you.  
  
Bakura: Yeah, Shelly, a tree fell on your car! Hahaha!!!  
  
Shelly: -_- It's not funny Bakura! I was really scared!  
  
Bakura: And you were driving in it, too!   
  
Mau: Bakura, that's enough.   
  
Bakura: Whatever you say, Mau. ^___^  
  
Valon: -_-;;; I was glad to see you were okay, though, Shelly.  
  
Ryou: I'll agree to that! I was really worried!  
  
Shelly: Ryou, you do care! *hugs Ryou* Thanks for all the reviews everyone! For some reason the chapters are uploading funny. Any paragraphs I put in between scenes seem to shrink magically. Unless Bakura has something to do with that.  
  
Bakura: *whistles innocently*  
  
Shelly: Anyway, hope you all enjoy the next chapter!  
  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
CHAPTER FOUR  
  
The darkness of the night was split by the swirling of red and blue lights as everyone was there: police, firefighters, and emergency crews alike did what they could to contain the blaze. The water rushing through the hoses was the only other sound besides that of the men's voices issuing commands. The police were there to help contain the growing crowd, as well as to take Shari's statement about what had happened. She told them what she knew, which was very little since she had been sleeping, but she knew from the look in their eyes that they suspected her. How else could she have been the only survivor?  
  
Joey and Yugi stayed by her side, offering her their support, as well as having to stay near the ambulance to be treated for smoke inhalation. Both boys were not suffering from it nearly as bad as she was since she had been inside for far longer, but she was also suffering from the shock that had slowly crept upon her. Two more had died because of her, she just knew it. She wasn't sure how, but somehow it was always her fault, no matter that perhaps they had deserved to die for treating her like they had. It was just one more reason for her to be alone, and she drew her blankets closer around her, envisioning them as a barrier to the world around her.  
  
Joey saw the small movement, and he noticed the empty light in her eyes, knowing how she must feel but in reality having no idea. "Everything's gonna be all right now, Shari," he said to try and comfort her.   
  
She turned her gaze to him, anger giving her face some life. "No, Joey, everything's not going to be all right," she raged. "How can it be when all of my life I have had to face death, and now it's happening again. No matter what happens next, it always ends the same. I always end up alone, and that's why I have made no effort to make any friends. Why should I when I'll always end up alone?" Silent tears ran down her cheeks, but she paid them no mind as she watched as the fires within the house were slowly being extinguished.  
  
Joey didn't know what to say to that as it appeared she had more problems than he had even guessed at, but apparently Yugi did as he spoke to her instead. "Shari, you're not alone," he said softly. "We're here with you, and we're not going to leave you."  
  
She glanced down at him, looking into those earnest eyes which looked so much like someone else's it was uncanny. "Believe me, it would be better if you did, Yugi," she told him. "Anyone who has ever gotten close enough to know me ends up disappearing. It's always been that way."  
  
Yugi thought upon her words, wondering if they had anything to do with the Millennium Item she wore. Apparently it sounded like someone was dogging her steps, biding his time until he could come at her directly. But he was merely guessing at this point. It was probably nothing more than an accident that had set the house on fire, something as innocent as a hot wire or even a cigarette. It would do no good to start speculating at this point anyway. It would be best if they waited for the official word on what caused it and then go from there.  
  
"I gave you my word that we weren't going to leave, and that's final," he said stubbornly. "If there is a pattern behind all this, we'll help you in any way we can."  
  
She couldn't help but smile at their determination. "You guys never give up, do you?"  
  
Joey laughed as Yugi smiled up at her. "We nevah give up, do we Yug?"  
  
Yugi nodded his head once. "Not when it concerns our friends, we don't."  
  
She smiled again, this one genuine which lit up her green eyes. It had been so long since she had smiled like this, and it was all because of these two who had showed her that there was happiness to be found in a world of despair. But then all talk was cut short as the paramedic came to strap an oxygen mask over her mouth, and they led her inside the back of the ambulance. Yugi and Joey followed her inside and sat on either side of her. She reached out to take hold of Joey's hand, an unconscious gesture, but one she didn't mind as she gazed up into his dark eyes. He smiled down at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
She was admitted into the hospital to go through further testing, the doctors wanting to make sure that she was completely fine before letting her go. Luckily her lungs were fine, and she had not suffered any burns, but what did concern them was the amount of bruises they discovered upon her body. That was also one of the reasons they kept her. There was no telling the extent of her injuries as they assumed that she had gotten them from her escape, and she wasn't going to tell them differently.  
  
Joey and Yugi patiently waited outside before the doctor arrived and began asking them questions about her family and such. Joey told him that she didn't have any family as he had heard her tell the police that she was fostered, and the doctor decided to tell them of what he had found. They were both alarmed at the mention of her bruises since there was no way she could've gotten them the way the doctor thought she did, and it only confirmed Joey's suspicions.   
  
After the doctor left, Joey rose to his feet and paced around the room, clenching his fists and generally worrying Yugi since he looked so angry. "Joey, what's wrong?" he asked him.  
  
Joey finally sat down and managed to calm himself down enough to answer. "De other day at school I noticed dat she was limpin' a little, an' I began ta wonder if maybe she was bein' abused by her parents. The way she spoke ta me made me wonder, too, as she kept talkin' about gettin' in trouble an' all. But now I guess she was bein' abused." His anger rose again, and he pounded his fist on his knee as a low growl escaped. "Dere's no excuse, Yug, for any child ta be beat by a parent! It's not right!"  
  
Yugi watched his friend work through his anger, knowing that Joey was in a similar position himself but in his case it was his father, who had done nothing worse than drink so far. "No, it's not right, Joey," he agreed. "I just wonder why she never told anybody? Why did she keep quiet about it?"  
  
Joey sighed and leaned back in his seat. "I dunno. Maybe she was afraid of what her parents could do ta her. Either way, we're gonna sit down and have a talk, and I'm gonna find out what her problem is."  
  
A smile appeared on Yugi's face to see Joey acting so protective over someone he had just met. Was he interested in Shari, or was it just friendship forged by similar circumstances? "I'd advise you to be careful, Joey, and not go in there and press her for answers so soon. She's got a lot she has to sort through first."  
  
"Ah, I know dat, Yug," he replied. "Right now I'm gonna go in an' check on her just to see how she's doin' and all. Be right back!"   
  
Yugi watched as he walked off, feeling an uneasiness deep within himself that could only come from Yami and wondering what was wrong with him lately. Soon his thoughts were drawn elsewhere as Tea, Tristan, and Ryou appeared, wondering what was going on. He explained what had happened as best he could since the past few hours had all seemed a blur to him, and he kept his eyes open for Joey's return so that he would know how she fared.  
  
**************  
  
Joey's out for some answers now. He'd be wise to heed Yugi's advice though, and we all know he will since he listens to him so well. Thanks for reading! C-ya!  



	5. Chapter Five

Author's note: Hi, everyone! It's me again! I'm not going to say much since I'm kinda tired right now. Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews! I'm really glad that you're all liking this since it's my first YGO fic and all. Enjoy the next chapter!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER FIVE  
Shari rested in the hospital bed, her back propped up against a couple of soft pillows as the light from the small flourescent light above cast blue highlights in her hair. She fumbled with the breathing tube that tickled her nose and rubbed painfully against her ears, wishing she could take it off but it was there at the doctor's orders and she wasn't going to go against them. Now that all the excitement was over, she felt exhausted and looked forward to a good night's sleep, but as she heard the door to her room open she knew that that was the last thing she would be getting.  
  
Looking over, she saw Joey coming into the room, and she sighed as she wondered what he wanted. He seemed a little embarrassed at being there, and she smiled as her way of telling him that it was all right. "Hi, Joey. What's up?" she asked.  
  
He eased over to her bedside, his fingers playing nervously with the edges of her blanket. "Oh, nothin'. I was jus' wonderin' how you were feelin'. It's been a rough night and all."  
  
"I'm fine, other than being tired," she replied.  
  
He stopped playing with the blanket, his hands coming back to rest at his side. "Oh. Well, I guess I should go den, huh?" he asked. "I'm glad you're okay, Shari. An' I hope ya sleep well." He turned to go but stopped when he felt her hand take his once more, turning back to her in surprise. "Wha-?"  
  
"I wanted to tell you thank you, Joey. For saving me and being my friend, even when I didn't want one. I guess I didn't realize what I was doing to myself, shutting my feelings from everyone and hiding behind walls. That's no way to live. But I still fear to become too close to anyone for fear of losing them. Death is one thing that I have been forced to face for so long, and it is one thing that is always certain in this life."  
  
"I know it is, but ta live all ya life in fear of it is pointless," he argued. "What does ya life mean without friends ta share it with? Nothin', dat's what it means."  
  
She gazed deeply into his brown eyes, feeling something deep inside her begin to uncoil from the knot of despair and sorrow she had lived in for all of her life. For the first time in her life she let down all her defenses and allowed him to see her for who she truly was, a teenager on the outside but underneath still a scared little girl.  
  
He was amazed at the sudden change in her, and realized at how much work she had put into keeping up this facade she had lived behind all these years. Her vulnerability showed through her green eyes, eyes that suddenly sparkled with tears as quiet sobs racked her body. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gathered her in his arms and let her cry on his shoulder, not caring that his shirt was becoming wet from her tears if it meant that she would pull through it all and come out a better person in the end.  
  
He had to fight as well the tears that filled his eyes, and when he heard the door open, he quickly dashed them away when he saw Yugi come into the room, surprisingly followed by Yami. He wondered what Yami was doing here, but when he saw his eyes fall on Shari he knew that he was concerned for her as well. "'Ey, guys. What's up?"  
  
Shari's tears had stopped by then, and she wiped at her eyes with her hands to dry her tears, a little embarrassed to be seen like this in front of them. "Hi, Yugi," she greeted him with a shaky smile, but when she saw Yami, her smile faded as she became aware that he actually existed outside of her dream.  
  
Yami saw the haunted light in her eyes, and he wondered if she knew him. She had to if she was looking at him like she had seen a ghost.   
  
He had not planned on coming in here to see her, but the same look in her eyes earlier had bothered him, and he wanted to know for sure if she knew him. "Shari," he said softly, her name carrying to her in his rich voice, which sent a shiver throughout her body.   
  
Who was he that he would have this kind of effect on her? She was a little frightened by him as she didn't know him, but if he was here with Yugi then it was obvious they were friends and she was willing to meet him. "How do you know my name?" she asked.  
  
Yugi sensed the tension in the room, and he quickly jumped in to try and ease things a bit. "This is my friend, Yami. I've spoken to him a little about you, if that's okay."  
  
She turned her gaze to Yugi and smiled. "Of course it's okay. I don't mind. It's nice to meet you, Yami," she said, fixing her eyes back upon him. It was strange that he looked like an older version of Yugi, and she wondered if maybe they were related somewhere down the line.  
  
Yami stepped to the end of her bed, his gaze wandering over her as it seemed that he should know her, but from where he wasn't sure. Was she a friend or foe? That was one of the things he planned to find out by revealing himself to her, that and if she did possess a Millennium Item as Yugi suspected. "And you as well," he replied. "I am glad to see that you are doing better."  
  
She eyed him strangely. "You...were you there tonight? I thought I saw you..."  
  
A smile appeared on his handsome face. "Yes, I was there."  
  
Joey watched their interaction with more than a little nervousness. "Yeah, he was actually da one dat saved ya," he offered. "De only ting ya got from me was a knot on da head."  
  
"So that was you!" she cried, her words softened by the amusement in her eyes.   
  
"I'm surprised you're still alive after being hit by his hard head," Yugi teased. "Did the doctors by any chance say you had a concussion?"  
  
"All right, enough wit' the funny talk," Joey replied, pretending to be offended.  
  
She laughed quietly behind her hand, not wanting to make Joey suffer any longer. "I suppose I owe you a thank you, too, Yami. For saving my life."  
  
"You're welcome," he replied. "I actually came here to see you as a result of a conversation you had with Yugi earlier today. He told me you were interested in his Millennium Puzzle and that something strange happened as a result. I wondered if maybe you carried an Item of your own?"  
  
Swallowing deeply, she wondered if she should tell them, and became just as confused at her fear of telling them. It was just a necklace given to her by her grandmother. What possible harm could it do? "I do have a necklace that was given to me, but I'm not sure if it is what you are looking for. I will admit that after today it seems different than before."  
  
Yami appeared interested. "Different? How so?" he asked as he walked over to the other side of her bed.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I feel a strange sort of power coming from it now that I never did before. And the markings on it seem clearer. Here, maybe you might know what's going on with it," she said as she removed the necklace from underneath her gown and showed it to them. Everyone gathered around her with soft exclamations coming from them at its beauty. But then Yami took it within his hand, letting it rest on his palm as he felt it was tied to him somehow, but he didn't know how.  
  
Suddenly it began to glow with an inner light, and it seemed to levitate slowly up from his hand to rest a little above Shari's heart. Her eyes wide in astonishment, she felt its power begin singing through her soul, and her eyes closed as the light enveloped her completely. She felt herself wandering, drowning in a maelstrom of memories and feelings that she couldn't make sense of. Then a hand grabbed her own, slowing her descent and bringing her back to where she needed to be, and when she opened her eyes it felt as if she was looking through someone else's eyes. There was a presence inside her that wasn't there before, one that was just as surprised as she was at the strange turn of events.  
  
****************  
  
Ooh, I wonder what happened? But of course you all know by now. But who is this mysterious spirit?   
  
Thanks for reading! C-ya! 


	6. Chapter Six

Author's note: I'm still alive! Sorry for not updating in so long! I've been busy lately with work and friends coming over so much.  
  
Tea: Yeah, friends are great aren't they?  
  
Joey: Ahh! Someone shut 'er up 'fore she gets her breath or else she'll nevah stop!  
  
Shelly: Oh, c'mon Joey, she's not that bad.  
  
Joey: You don't have ta lissen to it over and over again like some of us do. *shudder*  
  
Shelly: Okay, whatever you say, Joey. But I'm only doing this because I think you're cute.  
  
Joey: You do? Thanks! ^_____^ I knew I had a fan out dere somewhere! And just for dat, I'm gonna do your disclaimer for ya!  
  
Shelly: Thanks, Joey! ^__^  
  
Joey: Ahem. Shelly doesn't own YGO, just her own characters. Dat's too bad. I wish I owned McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's...  
  
Shelly: *groans* He's likely to go on forever. Hope you enjoy the chapter!   
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER SIX  
"Shari?" Joey asked her, a little confused at the slight change in her appearance. She still looked the same, but it appeared as if her features were more sharply defined and her eyes more luminous and exotic looking. Before she was merely pretty. Now she was simply enchanting, and he wasn't the only one affected by it.  
  
Yugi's jaw was almost to the floor as he knew what had happened, only it seemed different when seeing it happen to someone else. Yami was just as entranced as he studied her face closely, wondering if they were supposed to know each other or if they were bitter enemies. One thing he did know was that she had to be the most beautiful thing ever put on this earth, and also that just seeing her now wasn't even coming near to satisfying his curiosity.  
  
Then, just as soon as it had happened, the light disappeared and she appeared to be her normal self once again, albeit a little unfocused as to what had happened. Yami was disappointed to see her go, but figured that with it being the first time it cost Shari a lot of energy for it to happen, energy she was low on at the moment.  
  
"What happened?" she wondered out loud.  
  
"Apparently your necklace is in fact a Millennium Item, Shari," Yami explained. "Are you familiar with the story of the Items?"  
  
She thought back to the time she spent in Egypt, and she vaguely remembered her parents speaking of such a legend about seven items. "Surely you don't mean the Legend of the Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, the seven items that hold the Pharaoh's power sealed inside them," he replied. "If someone were to gain all seven, then the power of the Pharaoh would be theirs for the taking. And if the wrong person were to get that power..."  
  
She slowly understood what he was talking about. "I can't even bear to think about what it would mean." Then she looked up into his eyes. "Are you saying that someone could be after my necklace in the pursuit of this power?"  
  
His expression became grave. "Yes, Shari, I'm afraid so. Yugi has been subject to a few attacks himself, only these came in the form of duels. It appears that whoever is trying to take your Item is following you."  
  
Fear crept into her eyes as her entire body trembled suddenly. What if someone was following her, watching her every step? "What can I do? The police will never believe me, nor would they even be able to help me if the power of these items can do what you say they can do. There's nothing you can do?" she asked, her voice pleading.  
  
The raw fear in her voice touched him deep into his soul, and he sat down on the edge of the bed, taking her hands in his and holding them gently. The contact between them seemed to cause some kind of power to pass through them both, a charge that both of them could not stop. "I wish with all my heart that I could, Shari," he replied softly. "But I trust in the power of your Item that it will protect you, just as the Millennium Puzzle has for Yugi. I feel that you have a strong spirit and a will to survive at all costs. You just have to find it within yourself."  
  
Tears formed in her eyes, but did not spill over, and she suddenly leaned forward to embrace Yami, the unexpected contact surprising him. Yugi and Joey shared an amused smile between them, Yugi knowing what Yami must be feeling right now.   
  
It had been so long since he had felt something as innocent as an embrace, and he held onto her a bit longer than even he expected. But she didn't seem to mind as she needed his support, support he would gladly give her if it would help save her life. "I think it's time you get some sleep," he said as he released her. "You are tired, and we will speak again tomorrow."  
  
She nodded her agreement and settled back into the covers, looking over at Joey and Yugi. "Thanks again for being there. I'm glad that I met you both."  
  
Joey and Yugi both took hold of her hand before leaving, wishing her a good night as they walked back outside. Yami was the last to leave as he was reluctant to part from her for some reason, but leave he did and joined the others who were waiting for him out in the hallway. "Is there anything at all that we can do to help her?" Yugi asked him.  
  
Yami sighed deeply, having wondered that himself. "I believe that there is one way we might can help her. She will need a place to stay after she is released from the hospital, and with the danger posed to her it would be wise for her to stay somewhere that can afford her some protection without being too confined."  
  
"Are you thinking about Kaiba's place?" Yugi guessed. "I'm not so sure that he would appreciate her staying there."  
  
"I wouldn't trust that stinkin' Kaiba as far as I could throw 'im!" Joey protested. "Dere's no way she's gonna stay wit' him!"  
  
"My main concern is her safety, Joey," Yami explained. "Kaiba already has all the security he could ever want so I think that she will be safe there. At least as safe as she can be. Yugi, tomorrow you will visit Kaiba and request that he allow Shari to stay there for a short period of time. At least until we can figure out who is doing this to her."  
  
"It's a long shot, but at this point we have no choice," Yugi admitted unhappily.  
  
  
  
The next morning dawned early for Domino City, and Yugi was up already and on his way to school where he would try and speak with Kaiba on Shari's behalf. He looked all over the school grounds for him before classes started but couldn't find him, and he went through his classes wondering how she was doing and if they had released her yet. He was worried about her, of course, but it was her Millennium Item that intrigued him the most. What kind of powers did it possess? How had she come to be entrusted with it? She had mentioned that she had lived in Egypt at one time. Had she found it then?  
  
His thoughts plagued him all morning into lunch time, and it was then that he saw Kaiba sitting alone as he always did, emerged in whatever caught his particular interest at that moment. Yugi was a little nervous about approaching him as he was never sure of how Kaiba felt about him, or how he would feel about him disturbing his concentration. But he was doing it for a friend, and where his friends were concerned he never backed down if it meant helping them. Squaring his shoulders, he walked over to Kaiba's table and patiently waited until his presence was noticed.  
  
As Kaiba was always aware of everything around him, he waited a few minutes before acknowledging the younger boy's arrival, wondering what he wanted from him. It wasn't often that they crossed paths, which meant that it was probably something important, and because Yugi had helped free Mokuba's soul from imprisonment at Duelist Kingdom he felt that he owed the smaller boy something in return. But if Yugi was up for a duel, then so was he at any time or place.  
  
He set his book down and turned his blue gaze on Yugi, not even a hint of emotion passing across his face. "What can I do for you, Yugi? Perhaps you wish to duel? Name your time and place," he said.  
  
Yugi smiled and held his hands out in front of him, palms out. "Sorry, Kaiba, not today," he replied.   
  
"Then what is it? I don't have all day," he sneered, considering anything else a waste of his time.  
  
Having became used to his personality, Yugi let it slide. "I came to ask you a favor," he finally blurted out.  
  
*******************  
  
Will Yugi be able to find a place for Shari to stay? And what's this mysterious connection between her and Yami?   
  
Thanks for reading everyone! C-ya!  
  



	7. Chapter Seven

Author's note: Hi, everyone! I can't believe I'm updating sooner than usual! There must be something wrong with me.  
  
Bakura: Yeah, you're red all over! LOL!!!  
  
Shelly: Just the tops of my feet, but they burn all the same. I went fishing with my dad and didn't catch a thing.  
  
Bakura: *choking down laughter*  
  
Shelly: *glares at Bakura* How about I tie you up outside for a few hours in the burning sun? If it wasn't for Ryou...  
  
Bakura: Don't let that stop you. *suddenly gets tied up outside with nothing on but a pair of shorts* Umm...  
  
Shelly: ^____^ That's better! O_O Oh...I'd better not let Schala see this.   
  
Bakura: Nooo, please don't!!!  
  
Shelly: *considers* I can't promise you anything, Bakura. Now I hope all of you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reviewing!!!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN  
Kaiba raised a single dark eyebrow. "A favor? What kind?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
Yugi took a deep breath. "Have you heard of the fire last night?"  
  
His eyes narrowed a little. "I have. What does that have to do with me?"  
  
"Well, there was this survivor that was rescued from the fire, and she...um...needs a place to stay," he finished quickly, an embarrassed blush creeping up into his cheeks. Oh, how he hoped this worked!  
  
To say that Kaiba was surprised was an understatement. He was downright dumbfounded. "Why are you asking me? Doesn't she have family that can take care of her?"  
  
Abashed, the smaller boy stepped back a little. "That's just it, she doesn't. She was adopted, and I'm afraid that her home life wasn't exactly the best. She's in the hospital and might be released today so she'll need somewhere to go."  
  
"If she was adopted, then the orphanage can take care of her," he replied coldly. "I don't have time to babysit another when I already have Mokuba to take care of."  
  
"Kaiba, please, there's another reason why I'm asking you this," Yugi pleaded. "I think she may have someone stalking her who intends to kill her, and she needs somewhere to stay where she can be afforded a little security."  
  
"Then notify the police," he offered.  
  
"The police won't be able to help her," he defended.  
  
"Then what makes you think I can?" he asked. "Yugi, if she's in this much danger, do you think I would want Mokuba exposed to that? I have to think of my little brother, too."  
  
Yugi sighed, obviously having tried everything and coming up short. He understood where Kaiba was coming from, and he couldn't blame him for wanting to protect Mokuba. After all, he hadn't thought of the danger that would be posed to the younger Kaiba if Shari moved in. "You're right. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Kaiba." He walked away, head hanging in defeat as he wondered what would happen to her now. She could always move in with him, but there was little enough room as it was for him and his grandfather, much less one more. But he was determined to help her, even if it meant making a few sacrifices on his behalf.  
  
Seto sat there watching Yugi's retreating back thoughtfully, his own memories of when he and his young brother were taken to an orphanage before they were adopted. He wished that upon no one, to have to live in an existance where one was dependant upon the mercy of others. That was why he strived to be all that he could be, so that Mokuba would never have to do without someone to look after him that loved him. He felt the young girl's pain, whoever she was, but he didn't want to welcome in danger that could threaten them all, not when things had calmed down for them.  
  
He glanced down at the newspaper he had been reading earlier, the financial pages being of most interest to him, and looked at the front page, where he saw the article that pertained to the deadly blaze from the night before. Both adults had died, and the preliminary investigation showed that the fire had been started by a cigarette, leaving her blameless for the time being until an in-depth inquiry could be done.   
  
There was a picture to accompany the article, and it was a heartbreaking photo of her soot-stained face, traced deeply with tear tracks from her sad eyes. She appeared to be speaking with someone, but he couldn't tell from the photo.   
  
He laid the paper back down, looking away and closing his eyes against the cheerful sunlight that danced through the windows and onto the floor. He couldn't...no, wouldn't...put Mokuba in danger if what Yugi said was true. He wouldn't. But then he remembered the day when he found out his father had died in a car crash, and remembered as well the day when his mother had died giving birth to Mokuba. How in one second everything can change forever, sometimes for the best, other times for the worst.  
  
But could he? Could he give that to her? Her situation seemed so much like his own, only she didn't have a sibling to keep her feet on the ground. That and the luxury of wealth that he had fought for so fiercely. There had been so many times in the past when he had wished that he could leave everything behind, abandon every responsibility, and just be able to enjoy life like a teenager should. He had always been older and more intelligent for his age, and because of that he was always alone, never finding any friends in others his age as he always thought them less than he was.  
  
For a time he hadn't cared what happened to him, as long as he possessed all the power in the world of Duel Monsters, and he had for a time...until he met Yugi Motou. That day had changed him, and now he was aware of many things that he wasn't before. His loneliness, his pain...the only things keeping him going were his little brother and his company. But what if he could find a little happiness by giving some to someone else...someone that needed what he could give them? Simple things such as food and shelter. That shouldn't be so hard, should it?  
  
Sighing deeply, he picked up his cellphone and dialed home, waiting for someone to pick up. After the third ring, a voice sounded on the other end. "This is Kaiba. Have a room prepared by this afternoon for a guest who will be staying with us for awhile." Then he hung up, glancing over at the paper and taking note of the girl's name before calling the hospital and inquiring whether she would be released yet. Upon finding out it would be this afternoon, he called back home and ordered that a limo be brought to the hospital where it would wait there to pick her up. Then he went back to perusing the business section, wondering if he was doing the right thing...for him and for Mokuba.   
  
Shari was excited that she would be released from the hospital this afternoon, but wondered where she would find any clothes to wear since everything she had had been destroyed in the fire. She didn't even know where she was going to live now. Would she be turned over to another orphanage, only to be fostered in another home where the same thing might happen again? It seemed an endless cycle, one she longed to be rid of, and soon.  
  
Hearing the chatter of voices outside, she stepped to the door and opened it wider to see Yugi and all his friends standing there, Tea with something that looked like a large bag in her arms. Shari invited them all inside, and Tea walked in to sit the bag down on the bed.  
  
"I realized you wouldn't have any clothes, so I went through my closet and found some that might fit you," she said, digging through it and pulling out various outfits.  
  
Touched, Shari didn't know what to say. She saw Yugi standing nearby with Joey, troubled expressions on both their faces. "Yugi, Joey...what's wrong?" she asked.  
  
Yugi appeared the most troubled, and she crouched down in front of him to better look him in the eye. "I tried today to find you somewhere to live so you wouldn't have to go back into an orphanage. But I failed."  
  
She was speechless as she had never had friends that would do this much for her, much less friends at all. "Yugi, you didn't have to do that," she told him.  
  
A small smile appeared on his face. "Joey and I both were concerned about you and wanted to find somewhere where you would be happy."  
  
"Hmph. As if anybody could be happy wit' him," Joey scoffed.  
  
"Anyway," Yugi continued with his eyes raised towards Joey as if knowing what he would say, "I spoke with my grandfather and he's agreed to let you stay with us for awhile. That is, if you want to," he added uncertainly.  
  
Tears filled her eyes, and she caught Yugi in a tight embrace. "That's so sweet of you, Yugi," she whispered. "But I hate to impose on you like that."  
  
"Tink nothin' of it," Joey replied. "I tink it'll be a lotta fun, if ya ask me. You'll get ta see Yug everyday, and we'll come ovah and visit. We'll even teach ya how to play Duel Monsters!"  
  
She rose to her feet and poked at Joey's chest with a stiff finger. "Well, who asked you, Joey? It's not your hospitality I'm having to impose upon," she argued with him teasingly.  
  
He put a hand behind his head and smiled. "Yea, well, I woulda but dere's dis little problem I have with my father."  
  
Just then the doctor arrived, letting her know that he was releasing her a little earlier since her ride was here to pick her up. She glanced questioningly at both Yugi and Joey, surprised to see a smile light up the boy's face and wondering what he was up to. Joey didn't look too happy, and she was curious about that as well.  
  
"Come on, you guys," Tea said. "Let's all leave so she can get dressed."  
  
Shari smiled at the girl as they all left. "Thanks, Tea, for everything." Tea smiled and closed the door behind her, leaving Shari to wonder who was picking her up.  
  
*****************  
  
Finally! Shari gets to meet her new roommate! But will it be war or peace between the both of them? Or maybe a little of both? Thanks for reading! C-ya! 


	8. Chapter Eight

Author's note: Hi, everyone! I'm really tired right now, so I'll keep this short. Thanks for all the great reviews, and you'll all be glad to know that Bakura's no longer chained up outside. Sorry, Schala! I figured he had enough torture. I really appreciate all the reviews, and I'm glad that you're all enjoying this so much. Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: You all have read a million by now, so I won't bother. ^__^  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT  
She was soon ready to leave, and her friends walked with her to the exit, speaking excitedly amongst themselves about who she was going to stay with. Of them all, Joey seemed the least excited, and he kept to himself, occasionally putting in a word or two. Lagging behind so that she was walking next to him, she snaked her arm through his, giving him a nervous smile when he glanced down at her. His answering smile warmed her heart and washed some of her nervousness away as she gazed into the deep chocolate of his eyes, framed by wisps of blond hair. She averted her eyes quickly before she drowned in them, afraid to look into them for too long.  
  
"You okay?" he asked, concerned as to her behavior.  
  
"I'll be okay," she replied. "I think. It's just that I don't know who it is that's waiting out there for me. Is it maybe the orphanage coming to get me? Or maybe the police? Maybe they found something that puts me at fault."  
  
Her voice betrayed her nervousness, and he stopped her to stand there and put his hands on her shoulders to calm her down. "Shari, it's nothin' like dat," he assured her. "I know who's comin' ta get ya, which is why I'm not very happy at da moment."  
  
She looked up into his eyes, her own full of fear. "But, Joey, if you don't like him, then why am I going to stay with him? I'm afraid," she admitted.  
  
"Don't be, Shari. I may not like 'im, but it's da best place for ya ta stay right now. He's got plenty of money an' enough security ta keep ya safe, an' dat's all dat matters ta me."  
  
All of a sudden she threw her arms around him and held him close to her, her fingers playing through his hair and enjoying the silky feel of it across her knuckles. "Joey, I don't know what to say," she whispered. "I've never had a friend that cared this much before."  
  
He held her tightly, savoring the feel of her next to him. "Well, get used to it, all right?" he asked as he pulled away from her.  
  
"Hey, you lovebirds, get a move on would ya?" came Tristan's voice.  
  
Hearing this, they broke away from one another and played at acting like nothing was wrong, but they both kept glancing at one another from the corners of their eyes, remembering how it felt to be so close to one another.   
  
The bright afternoon sun soon greeted them, and they all stopped in awe as they saw the limo that was parked in front of the hospital, Shari's jaw almost falling to the pavement. Joey had mentioned money, but she never imagined this much! At her arrival, the driver emerged from the darkness of the limo and walked around to open the side door to invite the passenger inside out into the sunlight.  
  
Upon seeing who she would be living with, her eyes widened in awe as it was none other than Seto Kaiba himself that was to be her unofficial guardian.  
  
Kaiba's cool blue gaze swept across the assembled crowd, his gaze narrowing on Joey, who stood protectively by Shari. His gaze swept across her next, and was held there strangely for a moment as he became momentarily captivated by her. In times past, he had had no use for members of the opposite sex since his focus was only on Duel Monsters, but as soon as he looked into her green eyes he knew that that would change. What was even stranger was the feeling that he should know her, as if he had seen her somewhere before. School maybe? No, he would've remembered her if he had seen her there.  
  
Realizing that he was staring, he tore his gaze from her and instead found Yugi standing some ways from him, his grateful eyes on him. "As you can see, I changed my mind, Yugi," he said.   
  
Yugi smiled. "I appreciate it, Kaiba, more than you know," he replied.   
  
A brief smile touched upon his lips. "I only hope I won't regret this someday," he stated.  
  
Joey suddenly growled as his fists clenched at his sides. "Why ya arrogant little--"  
  
"Oh, look, the dog has learned how to bark," Kaiba mocked.  
  
Joey's eyes narrowed slightly in readiness for a fight. "Ya think I'm barkin' now, wait till ya feel my bite," he snarled.  
  
Tristan moved in front of him to try and keep him under control. "Easy, Joey, he's not worth it," he reminded him.  
  
"It's not him I'm tinkin' 'bout," he replied. "No one talks about her dat way and gets away wit' it."  
  
Shari eyed Kaiba coldly and turned to Joey, placing her hand gently on his chest. "It's all right, Joey, I understand where he's coming from," she told him. "He's placing himself and his brother in danger by taking me in, and I'm grateful that he's taking that risk willingly."  
  
Kaiba had to wonder if it was willingly after having gazed into the endless depths of her green eyes. It was a good thing he had learned to master control over his facial expressions, otherwise he would be just another fumbling teenager who had met a pretty girl for the first time. And that wouldn't be a pretty sight at all, especially not for him.  
  
"Your name's Shari, right?" he asked.  
  
She turned towards him and fixed her eyes upon him again. "I am," she replied.   
  
"Then I'm sorry to have to break up your little party here, but I've got a company to run and there's a lot you need to know before we return to my mansion." His gaze must've brooked no argument as she stepped forward towards the limo, looking back once towards her friends before climbing into the limo, the driver taking her bag and stowing it in the trunk. Kaiba stepped inside and shut the door, but not before regarding Yugi with a solemn expression. Yugi nodded once, a gesture which Kaiba returned before disappearing inside. The limo drove off, taking their newfound friend with it.  
  
Joey watched it with something close to heartache written on his face. "I hope she's gonna be okay," he said to no one in particular.  
  
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Yugi assured him. "If anything, I think you should be worried more about Kaiba than anyone else, cause once she comes out of her shell, there's no telling what she'll be like."  
  
"Den I hope she tortures 'im night an' day!" Joey crowed.   
  
"Speaking of Shari," Tristan eased in beside Joey. "It looks like she's got you wrapped around her little finger," he teased, wagging his pinky finger at him.  
  
"She does not!" Joey argued. "We're jus' friends, dat's all!" he cried.  
  
"Sure you are," he continued ragging his friend. "Was that why you both were all over each other earlier?"  
  
"Nnnn, you lookin' ta start a fight, pencil head?!" Joey exploded.  
  
"I can take you anytime!" Tristan crowed as they tackled each other to the ground.  
  
Tea stood there with her face buried in her hand as Yugi looked on with a patient smile. "It's a good thing we're this close to a hospital, cause one of them might end up in it!" Tea lamented.  
  
Shari watched as the hospital grew smaller the farther they drove off, the butterflies in her stomach refusing to be still. She had no idea of what to expect from living with Kaiba, but she had to hope that perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. After all, anything was better than what she had been living with the past few years, and maybe things would work out for the better for her.  
  
Glancing over at him, she saw him staring out the window thoughtfully, not noticing the passing of traffic or time for that matter. She took the opportunity to study his features, finding them striking as were his piercing blue eyes. He was everything Joey wasn't: a neat appearance as well as nicely chiseled features which reflected a keen intelligence and a bit of a cruel streak, just enough to keep people in their place. Not that she was comparing him to Joey for any reason, but where Joey showed her compassion, she knew she would find none with Kaiba, although over the years she had become used to it so it was nothing new to her.  
  
"Are you through staring at me?" he asked, his voice testy.  
  
She fixed her eyes on him. "Why, does it bother you that I'm curious about who I'm going to be staying with?"  
  
"If you're curious, just ask whatever's on your mind," he replied. "It's not nice to stare."  
  
Somehow she found a core of strength deep within herself, something that helped her stand up to Kaiba instead of cowering in fear like he wished her to. "If I recall, you are nothing more than my unofficial guardian. You are not my father, and as such you cannot tell me what to do," she reminded him.  
  
He leaned over close to her, just enough for them to stare deeply into the other's eyes as he wanted her to hear every word of what he had to say next. "Must I remind you that you're here as a result of the goodness of my heart? What little I have anyway. I consented to let you stay with me, and I can just as easily take it back. Perhaps you want to go back to the orphanage, there to see where you will live next?"  
  
She eased off as she realized the implications of his words, knowing she had spoken too soon. "No, I do not," she replied. "I spoke too hastily. Please accept my apologies." But her gaze upon him never wavered, telling him that although she understood him very well, that didn't mean that she was going to grovel at his feet and be his slave while she was there. All in all, it was turning out to be a test of who could keep their sanity the longest.  
  
******************  
  
A good question. Who will break first? I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for reading! C-ya! 


	9. Chapter Nine

Author's note: Hey, everyone! I'm still here, ready to begin Seto's torture!  
  
Seto: O_o Umm...  
  
Shelly: I didn't mean that kind...but if you want?  
  
Seto: Um, no, thank you.  
  
Shelly: Damn. At least Bakura lets me torture him.  
  
Bakura: O_O I do not!  
  
Shelly: Oh, come on. As many times as Schala and I have had you tied up...  
  
Bakura: That was against my will and you know it!  
  
Shelly: ^___^ I know. That's what makes it more fun!  
  
Bakura: *passes out* x _ x  
  
Seto: I'm getting out of here.  
  
Shelly: Fine, leave rich boy. *sigh* Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying this, cause I really am! Here's the next chapter!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER NINE  
On their way back to Kaiba's mansion, they stopped to pick up his younger brother, Mokuba, who was always happy to see his older brother. He was especially happy today as Seto was never there to pick him up, and it was a pleasant surprise that he would never forget. He was naturally curious as to who Shari was, and Seto answered his questions patiently, as well as asked him how his day at school was. Mokuba told him everything with childish enthusiasm, and Seto listened like the big brother he was, showing a genuine interest in what his younger brother had to say.  
  
Shari was deeply touched by their interaction, making her feel even more guilty for imposing upon them like she was and even possibly putting them in danger. What bothered her the most was that they both shared something that she could never hope to have in her lifetime, the unconditional love and support of a family member. Tears moistened her eyes, but didn't fall as she was determined not to let Kaiba see her like this and think her weak.  
  
He saw them, but instead of reacting like he normally would, he suprisingly knew what she must be feeling and said nothing. He also wondered why Yugi thought that someone might want to kill her since she looked like nothing more than a normal teenager, but if there was one thing he knew about Yugi it was that he never lied. He only hoped that Yugi would be mistaken this time, and that nothing would happen that might harm Mokuba.  
  
They soon arrived at the Kaiba mansion, and Shari's jaw dropped when her eyes fell upon it. The place was huge! But for someone as successful as Kaiba was, it was no surprise that he would have such a place to live. The interior was even more impressive, and she had to keep from expressing her wonder at it all as he walked the entire mansion with her, showing her where she was allowed to go and where she wasn't.   
  
Then they arrived at her room, and he had her things brought in, at least what little she did have. He departed afterwards, giving her some time to herself to take in everything that had happened so far. In fact she got so tired, she fell asleep on the bed, her hand closed around her necklace. She dreamed deeply, and her dreams took her back to where her last dream had ended, many years into the past.  
  
They came together in the middle of the room, and his hands came up to cup her face in them, his thumbs gently brushing away her tears. Her own she rested on his bare chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart beneath his soft skin. She gazed deep into his eyes, not saying anything for the longest time. "I do not want to lose you, heart of my heart," she finally said. "I love you too much. Please do not ask me to go through life without you."  
  
A soft smile played across his lips, lips which she yearned to kiss forever. "I do not want to lose you, either, soul of my soul," he replied. "But the High Mage has challenged me to a duel, a duel that may decide the fate of us all. I cannot allow him to win, for if he does then everything and everyone is doomed."  
  
Fresh tears fell from the corners of her eyes. "Even if it means I may never see you again?" she whispered. "Please, I love you. I love you so much."  
  
He held her close as he kissed her forehead. "I love you as well, which is why I have to fight him. Not only is he fighting for my power and station of Pharaoh, he is fighting for you as well." He saw her eyes widen in surprise. "I know well of his desire to have you at his side, and if he can't have you then he will use you to defeat me, one way or another."  
  
"I will not willingly go to him," she said after the initial shock of his words wore off. "No matter what he may try, I will not fight you."  
  
He touched her face tenderly once again. "I know you will not, my beloved. We are bound too close together for that, bound in both body and soul to one another." He released her long enough to walk over to a chest which sat upon a nearby table and take something from it, walking back towards her and holding up a golden heart pendant, the flames from the fireplace glittering upon its surface. "I wish you to have this, my wife, as a gift from me."  
  
She took it from him silently, awed beyond belief at its beauty as she read the writing upon its surface. "To my beloved wife, I give to thee my heart to keep for all eternity, to take my love with thee when day turns to night forever." She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, love shining in their depths, and started to say something.  
  
He hushed her with a finger upon her lips. "The day you part from me is the day when the sun no longer shines for me, and joy and happiness turn to grief," he said as he fastened it around her neck.  
  
"I hope that day never comes," she replied, touched that he would love her so much. Then she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace, needing to feel him close to her if even just for this night, even if it meant the last time that they would do so.   
She awoke all at once, sitting straight up in bed and almost knocking over whoever was nearby. Looking to see who it was, she was surprised to see Kaiba sitting on the edge of the bed, appraising her with a confused gaze. He seemed to have been reaching out towards her as he suddenly drew back, his cool mask of indifference once again emerging. She had a little trouble putting two and two together at first, and wondered where she was. "Kaiba?" she asked, glancing around and shifting into a more comfortable position.  
  
He wondered if she was all right, judging from what he had seen. He had come up to her room to let her know that dinner would be ready soon and saw she had fallen asleep. Any attempts at waking her up had failed at first until she had woken up on her own, and he wondered at what she had been dreaming about. She looked frightened, her green eyes moist, and her hand held her pendant tightly. Glancing at her necklace, he had seen that it held the same symbol that Yugi's did, and he wondered what it was.  
  
She still appeared a little disoriented, and he reached out to touch her arm gently. "Shari, are you all right?" he asked, wondering why he even cared to ask.  
  
His touch was unexpected, but warm against her bare skin, and it helped to calm her down by giving her some reassurance that he was real and that she wasn't just dreaming. "I think so," she replied. "I just had a very disturbing dream, that's all."  
  
She let go of her pendant, and he moved his hand underneath it to take a closer look at it. "It's very beautiful," he pointed out. "How did you come by it?" His sudden interest in her caught him by surprise. What was he doing here making small talk with someone he didn't even know? But that was the strange thing. The longer he stayed around her, the more he felt that he did know her...along with other confusing emotions that he couldn't begin to put into words.   
  
"It was given to me many years ago," she replied in a quiet voice, her own heart beating out of control. He was still a complete stranger to her! So why did she want to feel him touch her again, to feel his hair running across her fingers? He brought his blue gaze up to meet hers, and she suddenly felt trapped...like she didn't want to ever be free from it.  
  
But she had to as this was crazy, and she scrambled off the side of the bed nearest the door to put some distance between them, her breathing heavy as she fought for air. "Why are you here, Kaiba?" she asked.  
  
A smile appeared as he rose to his feet. "This is my home, remember?" he reminded her, walking towards her.  
  
She backed up as she thought he was coming a little too close, but he was merely going for the door. "Yes, I remember," she replied. "But why were you in my room, sitting on my bed?"  
  
"I came to tell you that if you are hungry, there is food waiting for you downstairs," he said with a little amusement before leaving.  
  
She stepped to the door and watched him walk away, relief warring with anxiety. What was going on with her? She needed answers, but there was only one person that she knew to ask, which was Yugi. But there was still the chance that even he may not be able to help her, and what could she do then?  
  
Her stomach suddenly growled loudly, reminding her that she was hungry, and she tidied herself up a bit before going downstairs, hoping that she wouldn't get lost in a place this big. Maybe if she ate something she would feel better.  
  
**************  
  
Ooh, a little more of her past is revealed and now we know how she came to be in possession of her Millennium item. But what's this sudden attraction towards Kaiba all of a sudden?   
  
Thanks for reading! C-ya!  
  



	10. Chapter Ten

Author's note: Hi, everyone! I'm finally updating! And thanks so much for the reviews! And I even got a mixed review! Thanks for saying I'm talented, and what's worse is that at my age I'm watching Japanese anime. ^^;;; But I love it, what can I say? I'm sorry if you think I'm an obsessed fangirl, but that's your opinion. ^_~  
  
Valon: *looks around nervously* Is it okay to come in now?   
  
Shelly: Hi, Valon! Long time no see! Are you here to do my disclaimers?  
  
Valon: If that's all right with you?  
  
Shelly: Of course! You're so sweet!   
  
Valon: Shelly doesn't own YGO, just her own characters. And she doesn't own me, either.  
  
Shelly: Yeah, you're Schala's wonderful character.  
  
Valon: *blushes*  
  
Shelly: Um, Valon? Who's keeping watch on Mau if you're here?  
  
Valon: O_O *disappears in a cloud of smoke*  
  
Shelly: Bakura's always after his sister in case no one knows. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER TEN  
She slept peacefully that night without dreaming, waking the next morning refreshed and ready for another day at school. As much as she hated the deaths of her foster parents, she couldn't help but think that her life was better without them. She felt she had suffered enough at their hands and was now ready to face life on her own terms, and that knowledge put an energy into her steps that wasn't there before. Her smiles came more easily, and before long she had most of the workers at the Kaiba mansion charmed.  
  
Even riding to school with Kaiba himself failed to dampen her spirits, and some of it rubbed off onto him as he seemed a little more pleasant to be around. She was a little more attentive in her classes than she normally was, and a few of her classmates even expressed their condolences over what happened. She thanked them for their kind words and even made a few tentative friendships with some.  
  
Lunch soon arrived, and she quickly sought out Yugi and his friends, finding them outside as usual talking amongst themselves. She snuck up on Joey, quieting those who saw her. "Hiya, Joey!" she cried, leaping onto his back playfully.  
  
"What da--?!" he managed to get out before both of them collapsed to the ground, Shari laughing at the top of her lungs and Joey groaning in a disheveled heap of clothing.  
  
"Are you okay?" she asked him, still trying to control her laughter.  
  
Joey wasn't sure what had come over her all of a sudden, but he had to admit it was nice to see her happy and smiling. Wait a minute--wasn't she living with Kaiba? "Yea, I'm fine," he replied. "Ya seem ta be in a good mood today."  
  
"Is there any reason why I shouldn't be?" she said, eying him strangely.  
  
He smiled to cover up his embarrassment. "Na, I guess not."  
  
She turned her gaze to Yugi, who was observing her with a happy light in his eyes. "I do have a problem I wish you would help me out with, Yugi. I don't know who else to turn to, except for you and Yami."  
  
"I'd be happy to help you, Shari," he replied. "Why don't you come to my grandpa's after school? You think that Kaiba would mind?"  
  
She waved her hand at him. "Oh, don't worry about him. I don't think he'll mind, but even if he did he can't say anything about it."  
  
Yugi glanced at Joey, a silent reminder of their conversation earlier when he told his blond friend that she would change. "Great! Then we'll meet here."  
  
She jumped to her feet then. "Thanks, Yugi! Now I've got to go find Kaiba. See ya!"   
  
Yugi and Joey watched as she left, both of them glad that she was pulling through just fine, even though they both were a little surprised at her sudden change in personality.  
She searched all over for Kaiba and finally found him sitting alone at his usual table reading the paper. Sitting down opposite of him, she waited patiently for him to acknowledge her presence, knowing that he knew she was there. When he didn't say anything, she reached out and thumped the paper with her finger, jarring one edge of it from his grip. He flashed an annoyed glance at her, picking it up and continuing to read it. She did it again, and this time he grabbed a hold of her wrist, holding it firmly but not enough to hurt.  
  
"Do that again, Shari--" he began.  
  
"Or you'll what?" she challenged, looking him straight in the eye without flinching. There were more than a few students nearby that stopped and looked with wide eyes, knowing that no one disturbed Kaiba at all like she did, much less talk back to him.  
  
Instead of being angry like everyone thought he'd be, he merely smiled and loosened his hold on her, but didn't let go. He let his fingers drift lightly along her skin, and he was pleased to see her reaction. Her green eyes became shadowed by her dark lashes, and he could tell her breathing had become uneven. It was a wonder even to him that he knew to control her like this, and it was a little scary at the same time.  
  
All of a sudden he released his hold on her. "I'll deal with you later," he said evenly as he picked up the paper again.  
  
She hated thinking it, but she hadn't wanted him to let her go so soon. "Kaiba, I'm going to Yugi's after school," she told him.  
  
"And why is that?" he asked behind the paper.  
  
"He promised to help me with something," she replied.  
  
He lowered it a fraction of an inch, just enough for her to see his raised eyebrow. "Oh really?" he said, her reply for some reason rubbing him the wrong way.  
  
She smiled at having gotten him back. "Oh, don't be jealous, Kaiba," she crooned.  
  
His eyes narrowed, signaling that she was treading on dangerous ground. "You're asking for it," he growled.  
  
Knowing better than to push her luck, she eased up out of her chair. "See ya tonight!" she called out as she left.  
  
He watched until she disappeared from his sight before going back to his reading, thinking that she was going to be the death of him yet.  
True to her word, she met Yugi after school and invited Joey to come along as well, both of them walking her to the Game Shop where Yugi lived with his grandfather. Walking inside, she was amazed at the selection of cards that were sold and waited downstairs while Yugi went and found him. She couldn't help but laugh at Joey, who was acting like a little kid in a candy store, oohing and ahhing over this card or that one.  
  
"Shari, this is my grandpa," Yugi said as he returned, and she looked to see an older gentleman walking behind him with dark gray hair fashioned much like his grandson's.  
  
Her eyes lit up, and she came closer to him. "Yes, I remember you, Mr. Mutou! How have you been?"  
  
He was a little surprised at first, but as he got a closer look at her he responded in kind. "Shari, is that you? Why, it's been a long time since I last saw you! You were just a child then! I was saddened to hear of your parent's deaths," he added solemnly.  
  
She figured that Yugi must've told him and didn't mind. "Thank you, Mr. Mutou."  
  
"Please, call me Gramps like everyone else does!" he laughed. "Mr. Mutou makes me sound old, don't you think?" he asked, earning a good laugh from everyone.  
  
"How about we get started on homework?" Yugi asked after he stopped laughing.  
  
She took the unspoken hint. "Yeah, we better," she agreed. "We've got a lot to do! Nice seeing you again, Gramps!" she said as she followed Yugi and Joey upstairs to his room. Once there, she sighed as she rid herself of her heavy bookbag. "Man, is that a load off my shoulders!" she exclaimed as she stretched.  
  
"Ya got dat right!" Joey seconded as he did the same.   
  
"So, what was this problem you needed help with, Shari?" Yugi asked, coming straight to the point as he sat at the head of the bed, his back propped against the wall.  
  
Joey sat on the edge against the wall, leaving her the end opposite Yugi. "Lately I've been having these dreams, and I think they're coming from my Millennium Item," she said, thinking it strange to refer to her necklace as one of the legendary powerful Items of the Pharaoh.  
  
"That's quite possible, judging from what happened the other day when you were in the hospital," he replied.   
  
She was momentarily confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.  
  
Yugi smiled. "Perhaps it's best if you let someone else explain," he said, looking down at his Millennium Puzzle. "How about it, Yami?"  
  
She watched as the Puzzle glowed, her eyes growing wide as she saw him appear beside Yugi, standing beside the bed with a calm expression on his face. Her dream from yesterday came back to haunt her, and she picked up her own Item to look at it curiously. If what she saw was correct, her Item was in actuality a gift from the spirit standing before her. But who was the woman he had given it to? Was there a spirit residing deep inside her own item?  
  
The spirit came to sit down beside her. "I think that from looking at your expression you are beginning to figure out what has been troubling you."  
  
She gazed deep into his eyes, knowing him for who he was but not knowing if he knew himself. "Who are you, Yami?" she asked.  
  
Sadness crept into his expression. "I do not know," he replied. "I do not remember anything about who I am, or even my past. All I do know is that I have been trapped within this Puzzle for five millenia, and I do not even know why." Then he looked deep into her own eyes. "When I first met you, I hoped that you knew something about me since it seemed you recognized me."  
  
"Only from dreams, Yami," she told him. "I don't even know if what I am dreaming about really happened, or if I'm making it all up as dreams usually happen."  
  
He seemed to think over her words for a moment. "Why don't you tell me about them, Shari? Maybe we can both find some answers to our questions."  
  
Taking a deep breath, she told him of what she had dreamed so far, about the woman and the necklace that had been his gift to her, a gift of love between two people who cared about one another very much. He was quiet, listening to her words as she spoke them, and when she was finished he was silent as he thought upon them and waited to see if they jarred some kind of memory deep within him.  
  
But nothing came forth, and he sighed in frustration. "Why can't I remember anything?" he said. "Even as I look at you, I come up with nothing."  
  
Feeling bad for not being able to help him, she touched his arm, wondering how it could feel so warm when he was obviously just a spirit. "Perhaps if I can find a way to get in touch with this spirit? You think that might help?"  
  
"It might," he finally said, the tone of his voice saying that he doubted it would, but he was willing to try anything if it meant solving the mystery that was his past.  
  
Closing her eyes, she relaxed her shoulders, breathing deeply and sending her thoughts down to a place that she felt deep within her soul, a presence that she had noticed recently after her stay in the hospital. After a few moments, she feared that it wasn't working, but then a sudden light burst forth from her Item. Warmth filled her heart and soul as an image of the Eye flared to life on her forehead.  
  
The spirit looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, wondering where she was until her gaze focused on Yami, lingering on him for some time. Then a smile appeared on her face, full of wonder and happiness. "Yami...is it you?"  
*******************  
  
Well, at least she knows his name...but is that all she knows? Or will she provide the information that Yami needs to regain his own memories?  
  
Thanks for reading! C-ya!  
  



	11. Chapter Eleven

Bakura: It's about time you updated!  
  
Shelly: Yeah, I know. Maybe this will make up for it.  
  
Bakura: And when am I going to be in this?   
  
Shelly: Keep acting like that and you won't be!  
  
Bakura: O_o Sorry! I'll behave!  
  
Shelly: Riight. Anyway, thanks so much for the reviews! They really mean a lot! Hope you enjoy the chapter!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
Yami was momentarily speechless at hearing his name, telling him that whoever this spirit was definitely knew who he was...or at least his name anyway. And that he already knew. "Shari?" he asked, wondering if it was her or if it was really the spirit that he was talking to.  
  
  
  
She seemed a little confused, and rightly so being this was the first time she had seen the world for herself after five millenia. "I am not Shari," she replied. "But how is it that I am here? All I remember--" she started, then stopped as surprise crossed her features. "That's just it. I don't remember anything...except the night when you gave me this...." She looked down at her necklace, her eyes widening suddenly. "Holy Ra, what am I wearing?!" she exclaimed, pulling at the strange clothing that covered her body.  
  
  
  
Yugi and Joey were fighting not to laugh. "Calm down, I can explain," Yami told her to calm her down, a smile on his lips as well.   
  
  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "I hope you can, because I'm confused," she said.  
  
  
  
"From what I do know, you're going through the same thing I am," he began. "You've been trapped inside that necklace for five millenia, or at least your spirit has."  
  
  
  
Gazing deep into his eyes, she searched for any sign that he was joking, but saw that he was completely serious. "You're serious, aren't you?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes widening when she saw him disappear and that the younger boy who looked so much like Yami suddenly become older and wiser. "Yami?" she breathed, unable to believe that she was really looking at him now instead of his spirit. Reaching out her hand towards him, she smiled when their fingers at first touched then intertwined with each other's, his grip strong and reassuring.  
  
  
  
Then he pulled her towards him, and she fell into his arms as she lay her head on his chest. "I would never lie to you, Makare," he said, his eyes closed as he held her against him.   
  
  
  
She pulled away just enough to look up at him in surprise. "You remember my name," she whispered with a hint of moisture glistening in her eyes.  
  
  
  
He smiled as he brushed his thumb along her soft cheek. "How could I forget it? You are my beloved," he replied simply. Then it seemed as if they were moving closer to one another, both their hearts racing as they felt the brush of breath across their cheeks.  
  
  
  
Joey was uncomfortable. Caught up in the moment as they were, he felt a little embarrassed as well as happy for Yami that he had finally found a piece of his past. But who was this Makare that he had spoke of? It was apparent that they were deeply in love with one another. Maybe they had been married in the past.  
  
  
  
He had to leave. They deserved some time alone together, especially after being reunited after so long.   
  
  
  
Makare couldn't believe this was really happening. Here she was, reunited with her beloved husband after so long. It was strange to see him in such different clothing, especially when she was so used to seeing him in the traditional dress of the Pharaoh. But she didn't care as she would gladly have him in any way she could.  
  
  
  
Then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and realized that the other boy that had been in the room was leaving. She thought nothing of it and turned back to look into Yami's eyes again. But then all she saw was darkness before she was back inside her Millennium Item again. "What the--?" she asked, confused as to what happened.  
  
Shari was once again in control of herself, and embarrassed to be found in such a awkward situation with someone else's arms around her. Yami must've sensed this and quickly released her with his own embarrassed smile. "Heh, sorry about that Yami," she said before scrambling off the bed and chasing after Joey. "Joey, wait!" she called, finding he had already gone downstairs.  
  
  
  
He turned around to see who it was, and smiled to see Shari once again. "Hey--wha?"   
  
  
  
She had caught him in a quick embrace, one that had caught him by surprise. "I'm sorry, Joey," she apologized. "I didn't mean to make you have to leave."  
  
  
  
"Dat's okay," he said with a smile. "I tought dat ya both might need some time alone to, um, get ta know each othah."  
  
  
  
She smiled as her face flushed with heat. "I appreciate that, Joey, but there's plenty of time for that," she said, turning as she saw Yami appear at the bottom of the stairs. "So, did it work? I admit I kinda...closed myself off when you both...."  
  
  
  
He laughed. "That's all right, Shari. And thank you, I believe it did work, at least a little. I still don't remember much but what I have remembered is all that I could possibly need."  
  
  
  
She cleared her throat. "Well, I guess that means that I'll have to come up with more reasons to visit then." Yami smiled and she looked at her watch, her eyes suddenly widening. "Oh, man, I am going to be in so much trouble! I didn't realize that it was this late!"  
  
  
  
"C'mon, I'll walk ya to Kaiba's," Joey offered.  
  
  
  
"Are you sure?" she asked, knowing that he and Kaiba held no love for one another.  
  
  
  
" Course I am, or else I wouldn'a offered," he replied with a smile. She said her goodbyes to Yami and Yugi's grandfather then walked with Joey out of the game shop. Night came early during the winter, and with it the chill wind that met them outside. "So, Shari, who's dis Makare dat Yami was speakin' to? It seems strange ta tink dat he had a wife once."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it," she agreed as she drew her coat around her tighter. "But it is kinda romantic, don't you think? Although I don't think I'd want to be the one trapped inside a pendant for five millennia. What I'd like to know is how she came to be...inside it. Or whatever. I guess I've still got a lot to learn about her."  
  
  
  
He glanced over at her from the corner of his eye. "How did ya get dat necklace anyway?" he asked.  
  
  
  
"It was my grandmother's," she replied. "It's been in the family for as long as I can remember," she added, her thoughts distracted by the events that had unfolded earlier.  
  
  
  
"Hmm, well maybe you're a direct descendant of dat spirit den," he pointed out. "And if de spirit was married ta Yami, den maybe..." he trailed off, not wanting to think of what it may mean. For some reason he couldn't see her and Yugi in a relationship together.  
  
  
  
She suddenly caught on to what he was implying, and her eyes widened. "You mean Yugi?" she exclaimed. "No way! I don't even see him that way! He's just a very good friend." She wasn't going to tell him who she did wish to have a relationship with, and the very thought of it scared her. But as much as she tried to deny it, there was an attraction to Kaiba that she couldn't possibly explain, especially since it had happened so fast.  
  
  
  
The sound of a car drawing close caught their attention, and they stopped to see who it could possibly be. It was a black limo, and that meant it could only be one person, the last one she wanted to see right now.   
  
  
  
The door opened and Kaiba stepped out onto the sidewalk, the breeze ruffling his hair and long jacket around him. "Well, well, look who it is. The perfect couple," he sneered. "Out taking the dog for a walk, Shari?"  
  
  
  
"Why ya little--one day I swear I'm gonna--" Joey fumed, his anger smoldering as he clenched his fists at his sides.  
  
  
  
She sighed, hating that they had to do this everytime they saw one another. "Kaiba, would you please stop acting like such a child? I'm not amused," she frowned.  
  
  
  
Kaiba shrugged nonchalantly. "Suit yourself. I thought I'd offer you a ride home, but if you'd rather walk..."  
  
  
  
She turned to Joey. "Joey, it's still a long way to Kaiba's place. I really appreciate the offer though. That was sweet of you."  
  
  
  
He smiled. "Dat's okay," he replied. "I guess I'll see ya at school."  
  
  
  
She returned his smile. "I'm sure that we'll see each other before then. It's the weekend after all so get in touch with me if everyone decides to get together."  
  
  
  
He brightened a little at that. "You bet!"  
  
  
  
Laughing, she rose up on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on his cheek, knowing that it would irritate Kaiba to no end. "Thanks again, Joey. See ya!" she called before she disappeared inside the limo, Kaiba taking a moment to glare daggers at Joey before doing the same. Then the limo veered away from the sidewalk and merged in with the traffic.   
  
  
  
Who knew how long Joey stood there with his hand covering his cheek, a dazed expression on his face before he finally came around, an excited shout emerging as he ran back towards home.  
  
***************  
  
Heh, Shari always has to end up playing referee to the both of them. But just wait and see what happens to Seto next chapter!  
  
Seto: *gulp* O_O  
  
Shelly: Oh, you'll be all right.  
  
Seto: That's what I'm afraid of.  
  
Shelly: Anyway, thanks for reading! C-ya!  
  



	12. Chapter Twelve

Author's note: Hi, everyone! I'm still here to torment your reading pleasure!  
  
Bakura: I thought that was my job.  
  
Shelly: No, your job is to torment Schala.  
  
Bakura: *evil grin*  
  
Shelly: Just be warned...she might like it.  
  
Bakura: O_o   
  
Shelly: ^__^ Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! I must warn you that in this chapter Seto gets into a little bit of...um...trouble.  
  
Seto: *sarcastically* Oh, I can't wait.  
  
Shelly: Cheer up, Kaiba. It's not that bad. Hope you all enjoy!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE  
  
Shari sat across from Kaiba in the limo that was taking them back to his mansion, the light from the passing street lights casting them both into darkness one minute then light the next. They both seemed to be engaged in a sort of staring contest as both hadn't averted their gazes since she joined him, but she was soon tiring of it as well as the silence between them. It angered her at how he had spoken to Joey, and she wondered why he treated the blond boy that way.  
  
  
  
"Why do you treat Joey that way?" she finally asked. "He's done nothing to you."  
  
  
  
Kaiba smiled as he remembered. "Back at Duelist Kingdom, he challenged me to a duel, even though he knew he couldn't win. He kept barking like the dog he is, and he wouldn't shut up until I beat him into the ground. Then he realized who his master was."  
  
  
  
Her jaw flexed as she gritted her teeth. "Still, that's nothing to be proud of," she hissed. "Not everyone has the money to put into a deck like you do, you know. I'm sure he is just as experienced as you are--"  
  
  
  
"Don't you dare compare him to me!" he raged suddenly. "He's a nobody, a fifth rate duelist--"  
  
  
  
"Then how come he finished second at Duelist Kingdom?" she taunted. "You couldn't even do that, could you? Is that why you always put him down? Because deep down you're jealous of him," she continued.  
  
  
  
"You go too far, Shari," he warned.  
  
  
  
"Good, I hope I am," she replied. "You're jealous of him because you realize that you'll never have what he has, no matter how much money you may have."  
  
  
  
"And what might that be?" he asked, his voice tight with anger.  
  
  
  
"He has friends, Kaiba...friends who care about him and love him for who he is," she said. "Can you truly say that about yourself?"  
  
  
  
"That's it," he growled, surging out of his seat and throwing her down onto her seat to straddle her waist. Her words had cut deep, as she had meant them to, and now he sought to make her hurt in return. He would make her pay for the moisture hiding behind his eyes. She tried to fight him, and he caught her hands to pin them above her head with an iron grip. "Let's make one thing clear," he said quietly, his anger smoldering. "I don't need his little cheerleading squad of friends. All I care about is being the top duelist in the world, a title I plan to get back in any way I can."  
  
  
  
She had become quiet in the face of his anger and now looked deeply into his blue eyes. Were those tears she saw? "Then what happiness is there in your life, Seto?" she asked, daring to use his first name. "When was the last time you truly smiled?"  
  
  
  
The last thing he wanted was to have this happen to him. That was why he had never let himself care about anything...until he had first seen her. All of a sudden it was as if he was rethinking his life all over again, questioning all his decisions, and it was all because of her. There were times when he almost hated her for doing that to him...and there were others when all he wanted to do was lose himself in her.  
  
  
  
And now was shaping up to be one of those times.  
  
  
  
He fought to remain in control of himself. But it was hard to when she was lying beneath him and his chest was so close to touching her...  
  
  
  
He suddenly let go of her hands and sat up, his own breathing ragged. She saw this and wondered what had happened, but when the light illuminated his face she saw the war he fought within himself and knew then what it was. Simply because she was fighting the same war within herself. She sat up as well and dared to reach up and touch his face, fearing that he might refuse the contact. He didn't.  
  
  
  
"Seto?" she asked, her voice quiet as she let her fingertips drift up along his brow and into his hair, feeling it brush across them, as soft and silky as she imagined it to be. This time he grasped her wrist, but with a gentler hold than before as he moved it down to touch the left side of his chest where his heart thundered underneath her palm. Then she felt him bury his other hand into the hair at the base of her neck as he drew her close, his breath soft against her ear.  
  
  
  
"Do you see what kind of effect you have on me, Shari?" he whispered as his lips caressed her cheek.  
  
  
  
She was past all reason now as she inhaled his scent, her hand clutching a fistful of his shirt. This was what she wanted, what she had dreamed of for so long, and now it was really happening. Unable to stand it any longer, she turned her head so that she caught his mouth in a quick, heated kiss, both of them breathing heavily as she buried her fingers inside his hair to hold him close. His arms came around her to hold her tight against him before they both fell back down onto the seat.  
  
  
  
He had never thought he would know what heaven could be like until this very moment, to know that being with someone could be like this. And what was even more confusing was that it felt so incredibly right for them to be together, like he had found a piece of himself that he had never realized was missing until now. It was scary as well.  
  
  
  
Suddenly he drew away from her to try and gain control over his raging emotions, but upon seeing her lying there looking so desirable, he couldn't help but kiss her once again. She didn't mind as she made small sounds of pleasure that threatened to undo what little restraint was left to them.  
  
  
  
But in the end it was the feeling of the car stopping that jolted them back to their senses, simply because they were thrown into the floor of the limo. She ended up landing on top of him and quickly scrambled up into her seat, straightening her hair and clothing as best she could. He did the same, neither of them looking at one another for fear of having it all happen again.  
  
  
  
She was the first to leave as she almost ran inside the mansion, and by the time he came inside she was already in her room with her door shut tightly. He stood outside for a moment, trying to summon enough courage to apologize to her, but in the end left her to her own thoughts.   
  
  
  
  
  
So caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't hear him pause outside her door. Even if she had, she doubted that she would've let him in for fear of what else might happen. It seemed that whenever she was around him she lost all control of her good sense. What did she think she was doing kissing him? Where did all these feelings for him come from anyway? And why did it absolutely drive her insane whenever she thought about the look in his eyes when they had kissed?  
  
  
  
Sitting on the bed, she closed her eyes and drew her knees up to her chest, trying to block out the images she still saw in her mind.   
  
  
  
"What's wrong with admitting to yourself that you're attracted to him?" a female voice asked.  
  
  
  
Looking up in surprise, she was shocked to see what appeared to be an older version of herself seemingly sitting in front of her on the bed. She was dressed in the same clothes she wore and even had the same hair. But her eyes were what set her apart as they were wiser and very beautiful with the way they were painted in an ancient Egyptian style. She had to swallow a few times to wet her suddenly dry throat.  
  
  
  
"Who are you?" Shari asked, feeling a little strange talking to a spirit.  
  
  
  
The spirit smiled patiently. "I am Makare," she replied in a soft voice. "And if what Yami said was true, I live inside that necklace you're wearing. I've never known him to be wrong about anything so I guess he's telling the truth," she added with a smile.  
  
  
  
"Makare," she breathed as she touched her necklace absently. Then she remembered what happened earlier this evening...or what almost happened...between her and Yami and blushed furiously.   
  
  
  
Makare's smile widened. "It's all right, Shari. It's just that I haven't seen him in such a long time, and I got a little carried away. I will try and be a little more discreet in the future," she said with a chuckle.  
  
  
  
Shari had to smile at that. "I must admit that this is all still strange to me," she began.  
  
  
  
"And you must have a thousand questions by now," the spirit finished. Shari nodded, earning a sigh from her. "I wish I could tell you more about myself, but like Yami I know very little. I wish I knew how I came to be trapped inside a necklace for so long, but what concerns me most is that I have no idea of who I am other than the fact that I am his wife, and that I love him so much."  
  
  
  
She seemed to turn melancholy then, but just as quickly brightened again as she met Shari's eyes. "Which brings me to what's been bothering you so much. There's nothing wrong with falling in love, Shari."  
  
  
  
"I'm not in love with him!" she exclaimed a little too defensively.  
  
  
  
Makare gifted her with a look that said she knew better. "If you're not, then you are well on your way already."  
  
  
  
"But I can't be in love with him," she argued a little more calmly.  
  
  
  
"And why not?"  
  
  
  
Shari thought a moment. "I don't know. He's so cruel to Joey for no reason, and no one else really seems to like him. He does act kinda like he's better than everybody."  
  
  
  
"That's just his way of hiding his true feelings, you know that," Makare reminded her. "He wasn't born that way so something had to happen to have made him act like he does." Then she looked towards the door. "I think you're about to have a visitor that might be able to shed some light on him for you," she said then disappeared.  
  
  
  
Shari's breath caught in her throat. Was it Kaiba himself coming to see her?  
  
  
  
She heard a knock on the door and asked who it was, her eyebrows raising in surprise when she heard the voice of the younger Kaiba in reply. Sliding off the bed, she walked over to open the door, her heart softening when she saw his soulful eyes gazing up at her. "How can I help you?" she asked a little awkwardly.  
  
  
  
He stood there rocking on his feet for a moment, perhaps digging up the courage to speak to her. "I was walking by your room and I thought I heard voices," he began a little shyly. "Is everything all right?"  
  
  
  
She wasn't sure how to reply, and what could she possibly say? That she had been talking to a five thousand year old spirit trapped inside her necklace? Kaiba would have her sent straight to the mental institution for that one. "I'm fine, Mokuba. Why do you ask?" she replied instead.  
  
  
  
"I--I just saw my brother and he wasn't himself," he said, his unease apparent in his voice. "I wondered if maybe you could explain why he's acting so funny."  
  
  
  
She sighed heavily. Why was it that kids always managed to ask the most difficult questions to answer? "Why don't you come in, and I'll do the best I can? How about that?" He nodded and she led him inside where she sat on the bed and he hopped up to sit cross-legged beside her. "I'm afraid that on our way here we got into a...um...discussion about things and I went a little too far."  
  
  
  
"What kinds of things?" he asked in his child-like voice.  
  
  
  
"Well, like, why he always treats Joey like he does," she began. "And why he never seems to smile or makes any effort to have friends."  
  
  
  
Mokuba gazed at her with sad eyes. "For as long as I can remember it's been just us two together," he explained. "From what he told me, our parents died in a car crash and we were both sent to an orphanage until a foster home could be found for us."   
  
  
  
Her eyes widened. Both of them had once lived in an orphanage?  
  
  
  
"Our foster father wasn't very nice to Seto," he continued. "He treated him bad, but he taught him how to run Kaiba Corp. My brother is very smart and has never needed anyone else...except for me. He made a promise to me that he would always take care of me, and he's done that and so much more. When Pegasus took me prisoner in Duelist Kingdom, he was there to save me. But even he couldn't defeat Pegasus." His eyes hardened to reflect a sudden steel resolve. "All I know is that I love my brother, and if his life was in danger, I would do all I could to save him."  
  
  
  
Shari wasn't quite sure what to make of Mokuba's words as she tried to put what she knew of Kaiba and what she didn't know together. Who could've guessed that beneath his tough exterior lie such a complex person? And why was it that no one else knew who he truly was except his brother? Question was, did she really want to find out?  
  
*****************  
  
Seto: O_O   
  
Shelly: See, it wasn't all that bad, was it?  
  
Seto: *passes out* x_x  
  
Shelly: I love doing that to him. Thanks for reading! 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Author's note: Hey, everyone! I'm still here. Man, it's been crazy, though. I've had so many people spending the night here I think I might start charging a fee. That and I've been sick as a dog for about a week. I haven't written a thing lately! But I know I left you all hanging so I figured I'd better update! Hope you enjoy!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
The next morning Shari decided to sleep in late since it was Saturday, and she finally rolled out of bed around noon, bleary-eyed with her neck aching. Last night she had suffered from more of Makare's memories at first, but she solved that problem by removing her necklace and setting it by the table. After that she had slept like a dead person. If a tornado had decided to rip through town she wouldn't have known it.  
  
  
  
Stretching carefully, she decided to soak away her neck ache with a hot bath and dragged herself towards the bathroom, thankful that neither Mokuba nor Seto passed by. Soon she was up to her neck in hot water frothing with bubbles, her wet hair piled atop her head as her chin rested against her chest. The water was so warm that before long she was drifting off again towards sleep.  
  
  
  
The sound of someone knocking softly upon the door reached her ears and she asked who it was without opening her eyes. There was no reply but she heard the door open and looked to see someone step inside, and it just happened to be the last person she wanted to see right now. "What do you want, Kaiba?" she groaned.  
  
  
  
He closed the door behind him, and she was surprised to see that he was dressed casually in a black shirt and denim jeans. She tried to keep her jaw from dropping to the floor since the change in attire made him appear more...well...approachable. "I had actually planned to use the shower," he began in a soft voice that sent chills through her, a feat in itself since she was surrounded by hot water.  
  
  
  
"Well, as you can see it's being used, so I guess you'll just have to wait your turn," she managed to say. But instead of leaving like she thought he would, he stepped further inside, and her eyes widened at his audacity.  
  
  
  
He sat down on the edge of the tub and leaned down far enough to dip his fingers into the water as he caught her eyes with his own. "Hmm, I actually had something else in mind," he purred in her ear.  
  
  
  
She swallowed deeply as she clutched tightly at the edges of the tub. What was going on here? Was he crazy? Apparently he was as with one smooth motion he disposed of his shirt, and she was faced with the sight of his bare chest, sending her heartbeat racing a million miles an hour. Was this a dream?  
  
She suddenly awoke, spluttering and coughing from the water that she had nearly swallowed. "Oh my God," she breathed as she covered her face with her hands and tried to get her breathing under control.  
  
  
  
"Have a nice dream?" a voice asked nearby.  
  
  
  
She looked up to see Makare sitting on the counter with a most peculiar smile on her face. "I don't suppose you had anything to do with that dream I just had, did you?" she snarled, rising from the water and quickly throwing a towel around herself.  
  
  
  
"Me?" the spirit asked innocently, but she was also smiling. "Now would I do anything like that?"  
  
  
  
"Somehow I think you would," Shari replied. "You're still trying to make me admit my feelings for Kaiba. I can tell you right now that it won't work, so stop trying."  
  
  
  
"All right, if you say so," she agreed, but deep down inside she knew that Shari had it bad for Seto, and that Seto himself wanted her just as badly. It was just a matter of making them both see it. Problem was, they were both so stubborn that they refused to give in to it.  
  
  
  
Shari finished drying off and slipped into cleaner clothes, deciding to try and find something to eat. After raiding the kitchen, she decided on an apple and happened to spot a sheet of paper lying on the table while she was eating. It was written in Seto's neat handwriting, saying that Joey had called earlier for her. To her surprise he didn't even use his favorite nickname that he usually reserved for him, and she wondered where he was. But then she realized that he had a company to run and was no doubtedly there working hard as usual.  
  
  
  
Picking up the phone, she dialed Yugi's number since she knew that Joey was usually there, and his grandfather picked up on the third ring, telling her that Joey was there. Joey soon came on the phone and wanted to know if she would like to go to the mall with Yugi, Tristen, Tea, and Bakura. She replied that she would and told him that she would try and borrow a limo so they all wouldn't have to walk.  
  
  
  
To her surprise, she was allowed use of a limo and soon pulled up in front of Yugi's house, the friends spilling out excitedly. "Wow, I can't believe I'm gonna get ta ride in a limo!" Joey exclaimed.  
  
  
  
"It's just a car, Joey," Tea pointed out dryly.  
  
  
  
"I know dat," he replied. "I've nevah ridden in one though, so dat's why I'm excited."  
  
  
  
Shari couldn't help but smile at Joey. No matter how bad a mood she was in, he could always make her smile, and she wondered if maybe she should forget about Kaiba and pursue a relationship with Joey instead. He was far more fun to be around, and she knew that he liked her as well. Kaiba was always so moody and withdrawn, his only priority his business. Joey was always full of life and laughter, and always enjoyed being with his friends.  
  
  
  
But no matter how much she liked Joey, she didn't feel the same way about him like she did for Kaiba.  
  
  
  
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she focused instead on the present, determined to have a good time today. After saying goodbye to Yugi's grandfather, they all piled inside the limo and took off towards their destination. On the way there, Joey and Tristan argued over who would get to open the sunroof, which ended up in one of their famous wrestling matches. She ended up having to bash them both to get them to behave, telling them that it was too cold to have it open anyway.  
  
The mall was busy since it was Saturday, and they all took turns browsing through the different stores, Tea heading for the shoe and clothing stores. The guys ducked inside the video game stores and the card shops. No matter how much she tried, Shari couldn't share in their enthusiasm, and she often browsed around for a few minutes before going outside and waiting for them to finish.  
  
  
  
She missed Seto. That much she had to admit. She was used to seeing him everyday, and to not see him was tearing her apart. Eventually Tea noticed that she seemed down in the dumps and asked her what was wrong. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied with a forced smile. "I guess I'm still tired, that's all. I didn't sleep very well last night."  
  
  
  
Tea regarded her with a critical eye. "No, it's not that. There's definitely something wrong with you."  
  
  
  
"No, I'm fine, really," she objected a little too fiercely.  
  
  
  
Tea crossed her arms across her chest, unwilling to give up so easily. "If there's something bothering you, just tell me. That's what friends are for after all, right?"  
  
  
  
Shari sighed. "Oh, all right, since you insist," she finally gave in. "It's just that I've got these feelings for someone and I don't know what to do about them. We're two totally different people, but there's something about him that...draws me to him. I can't stop thinking about him."  
  
  
  
"Does he feel the same way?" Tea asked.  
  
  
  
"That's just it, I don't know," she replied. "He hides his feelings behind this facade that he shows to everyone else, but I know deep down inside he's a different person."  
  
  
  
Tea thought a moment, the description seeming to ring a bell. Then her eyes widened. "You're not talking about Kaiba, are you? How could you?" she asked when she saw Shari's guilty expression.  
  
  
  
"You think I wanted it to happen?" she demanded. "He's the last person I thought I'd be feeling this way about."  
  
  
  
"But Kaiba?" Tea continued. "All he wants to do is beat Yugi in a duel just to save his sick, twisted sense of honor."  
  
  
  
"You don't know anything about him, Tea!" she fired back. "Have you even bothered to try and find out? I think that deep down he's got a good heart, he's just afraid to let anyone in to find out who he truly is."  
  
  
  
"He has no heart," Tea sniffed in disdain. "You didn't see him duel at Duelist Kingdom."  
  
  
  
"I've had enough of this," she said as she walked away from the girl. "I can't believe that you would be so one-sided."  
  
  
  
"You didn't see what he did to Yugi either, Shari!" Tea shot back.  
  
  
  
Shari didn't care where she went as she walked off into the crowd of shoppers, her eyes moist with tears that she refused to shed. Tea's words had hurt, and she tried to shut them out of her mind. Kaiba was better than this, she knew it deep in her heart. She just wished that she could find it, but was unsure as to whether she wanted to try.  
  
Ryou was the first to emerge from the card shop, and he looked around until he found Tea sitting on a bench alone looking as if she was upset about something. He also noticed that Shari was nowhere to be found. "Tea, are you all right?" he asked as he sat down beside her.  
  
  
  
She nodded. "I'm all right."  
  
  
  
He glanced around for Shari. "Where has Shari gone off to?"   
  
  
  
Tea sighed heavily. "She walked off somewhere," she replied. "I don't know where she went."  
  
  
  
He looked down at his Millennium Ring, smiling slightly when he saw one of the pointers directing him towards Shari's Item. "Perhaps I will go look for her," he offered generously, his Ring gleaming as he rose to his feet and melted into the milling crowd of shoppers.  
  
*******************  
  
Uh-oh, it looks like Bakura's up to no good! Better tie him up and ship him off to Schala's so he'll behave. Although I can't vouch for what she might do to him.... And is there a chance that Shari might choose Joey over Seto? You'll have to keep reading to find out!  
  
Anyway, thanks so much for reading! C-ya! 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I don't need to say that I've been away for awhile, that's for sure. I was recently reunited with my best friend, and I haven't seen her in a few years so we've been hanging out a lot lately. Her and her husband have been running into some bad times and I've been helping them out any way I can. Anyway, enough with my sob story! Here's the next chapter, for those of you who haven't given up on me yet. Enjoy!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
  
Shari found another bench to sit on not far from where she had left everyone, tears dampening her cheeks that she brushed away with her fingers. She didn't care what Tea said, but she did care what happened to Yugi since he was her friend as well as the bearer of the Puzzle that housed Yami's spirit. So far Kaiba had been nothing but cordial to Yugi so it was hard for her to see him treating the younger boy so cruelly. She already had a bone to pick with him over how he treated Joey so maybe Tea's words held a grain of truth in them.  
  
  
  
'Don't let another person's perspective ruin what you know about him, Shari,' came a voice from inside her, seeming to echo throughout her mind.   
  
  
  
She looked around suddenly, wondering where the voice came from. But then she realized who the voice belonged to and relaxed somewhat. 'That's just it, Makare,' she replied, thinking her words instead of speaking them. 'I don't know anything about him, only what Mokuba has told me.'  
  
  
  
Makare chuckled dryly. 'Maybe it's about time that you get to know him then.'  
  
  
  
Shari smiled. 'Maybe you're right.'  
  
  
  
'Of course, I'm always right,' the spirit returned amusedly. Then it seemed as if her humor suddenly vanished, only to be replaced by something close to caution.   
  
  
  
'What is it, Makare?' she asked anxiously, not liking what she felt.  
  
  
  
Makare was silent a moment as if she was trying to concentrate on something. 'Shari, you should get out of here right now. I don't like what I'm sensing.'  
  
  
  
She didn't understand what was going on, but put her trust in that voice. Rising to her feet, she risked a quick glance and saw Ryou standing not far away. He must've noticed her absence and come looking for her. She started walking towards him but stopped when she heard Makare's voice scream a warning inside her mind.  
  
  
  
'Shari, look out! That evil presence I sensed is coming from him!'  
  
  
  
The young girl wondered what the spirit was talking about. Ryou was so quiet and polite in school that she couldn't imagine him hurting anybody. But then she saw his Ring glowing at his chest and it seemed that all of a sudden he did seem menacing...and very much wanted to hurt her. "Ryou?" she whispered.  
  
  
  
He chuckled. "Please. Just call me Bakura."  
  
  
  
She took a step back as fear crept up her spine with icy fingers. "What do you want?"  
  
  
  
"I've come for your Millennium Item, Shari," he replied, his eyes narrowing onto her Item.  
  
  
  
"You'll never get it without a fight," she retorted as she closed her hand around her necklace. She wanted to run away, but it seemed as if they were the only two people in the whole mall. Everyone else passed by them without a glance, like they didn't care what was going on around them.  
  
  
  
"Precisely what I had in mind," Bakura gloated, reaching in his pocket and pulling out a card. "I knew you weren't going to just hand it over after all. So I came prepared." He turned it so that it faced forward. "How would you like to meet my Man Eater Bug? Few can withstand his assault, but I don't want him to finish you just yet. I want to hear you beg first." The card glowed in his hand and out sprung a hideous creature, waiting to spring at Bakura's command.  
  
  
  
Shari's fear was coming in waves now, and she found she couldn't move no matter how badly she wanted to. Then she sensed Makare's spirit merging with her own and gave herself up fully to the ancient spirit. This time was vastly different than what had happened before with Yami since Shari had still been aware of what was going on then. This time Makare was completely in control, and Shari felt something about her that she had never felt before. There was a certain power there that flowed through her, and she used it to destroy her opponent before it could even strike.  
  
  
  
"Maybe you should find out who you're up against before attempting to take anything," the spirit spoke.  
  
Not far away, Yami felt Makare's power and sensed that she was in danger by the same spirit that had tried to take his Puzzle at Duelist Kingdom. 'Yugi, Shari's in trouble,' was all he needed to say. Yugi turned and bolted out of the store he was in, Joey and Tristan following close behind. Tea, after seeing them both running, took off after them.   
  
  
  
When they arrived, they all stopped at what they saw before them. Bakura and Shari standing there facing one another, Bakura with another card in his hand as he called upon its power. "No, it's a Morphing Jar!" Yugi cried, knowing all too well how it worked. "Shari, look out!"  
  
  
  
Makare heard the voice and looked to see Yugi standing there, and with her concentration broken all her power faded and drained out of her, leaving her weak as she fell to the floor on her hands and knees. Breathing heavily, she knew that she didn't have the energy to withstand another attack and waited for her fate to be thrust upon her. She heard it coming and closed her eyes against it, but when nothing happened she looked up to see the Dark Magician standing in front of her.  
  
  
  
'Wait...the Dark Magician?' she thought, and it seemed as if she remembered another time like this. But then it was gone as quickly as it had come, and the Shadow Monster nodded to her once in farewell before disappearing into the Graveyard. Then she felt a presence at her side and knew it to be Yami without looking.  
  
  
  
"Makare, are you all right?" he asked her in concern.  
  
  
  
She nodded weakly. "I'm fine, Yami, just weak."  
  
  
  
Bakura laughed at them both. "Well, well. It's not everyday that I get to have two for the price of one. I shall enjoy taking yours as well, Yugi."  
  
  
  
Yami rose to his feet, anger smoldering in his heart that Bakura had tried to harm his beloved. "You'll do no such thing today, I can assure you of that. Now be gone from here, evil spirit!" Stretching out his hand, he used the power of his Puzzle to banish Bakura to the Shadow Realm where he belonged, leaving a shaken Ryou to wonder what had happened.  
  
  
  
The Pharaoh turned his attention back to Makare, taking her in his arms and supporting her as she leaned against him. Brushing his hand across her cheek, he placed a kiss on her forehead, himself afraid at how close he had come to losing her. Then he felt Makare's spirit fade back into the necklace and he did the same into his own Item, leaving Yugi to take over from here.  
  
******************  
  
I wonder if some of you guessed that Bakura might make a try for her Item? Let's just say he's not through yet.... Thanks for reading! C-ya! 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Author's note: Hey everyone...sorry this has taken soooo long to update!!! I've kinda stopped watching Yu-Gi-Oh so I quit writing on this for awhile. But then the other day I suddenly got an urge to write on it...and boy did I!!! So I decided to go ahead and update it since I'm still getting a few reviews on it...and thanks to those who are!!! This is for you!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own YGO...just Shari...although I do wish that Seto was mine...hehe.  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
  
Shari had no idea what just happened to her. Here she was in the middle of the mall with Yugi's arms around her and her sitting on the floor as well with Joey and the others gathered around her protectively...all except Ryou. Remembering Makare's warning about him, she looked around for him to see him standing nearby looking just as confused as she felt.  
  
  
  
Yugi must've seen her panicked expression and immediately known what she was thinking. "It's all right Shari, you're safe now."  
  
  
  
Joey offered his hand to her and pulled her to her feet. "Ya all right?" he asked in concern.  
  
  
  
She nodded her head. "I'm fine, Joey, just ready to go back to Kaiba's," she replied. "Yugi, what happened anyway? All I remember is this...thing...coming for me. And Bakura was controlling it, saying something about taking my Millennium Item."  
  
  
  
Ryou visibly started at the mention of that name. Yugi rose to his feet to stand beside her. "I'll explain later," he said. "Right now let's get you out of here."  
  
  
  
And she was only too happy to hear those words, and she kept by Joey and Yugi's side until they were outside of the mall, where the cold air helped to clear her thoughts. The sky had clouded over until it was overcast, and the wind had picked up until it cut through their clothing and chilled them from the inside.  
  
  
  
The ride back to Kaiba's place was filled with silence, each of them thinking their own thoughts about what happened today. Tea still couldn't believe that Shari could even possibly have feelings for Seto and manage to remain friends with Yugi at the same time. To her it was just impossible, but if there was one thing she knew it was that Yugi had a forgiving heart and that he had already forgiven Kaiba for what he had done to his grandfather.  
  
  
  
Yugi's thoughts centered around the appearance of Bakura, and the fact that he was after Shari's Millennium Item. The same thing had happened to him during Duelist Kingdom, and he had to wonder if Bakura was the mysterious person dogging her steps wherever she went.  
  
  
  
Shari sat between Joey and Yugi, trying her best not to look at Ryou even though she knew that he deserved no blame for what happened. The Millennium Items held strange and wondrous powers, sometimes for the better and at other times not. She also thought upon her conversation with Tea and the advice that Makare had given her afterwards. Maybe it was time that she got to know Kaiba...the question was how would she draw him away from his responsibilities to his work long enough to find out?  
  
  
  
Soon she saw Yugi's house come into view, and she said her goodbyes to them as they left the warmth of the limo for the chill air outside. Only Joey remained, seeming to want to say something but unsure as how to say it. "Yes, Joey?" she finally asked him.  
  
  
  
Smiling, he merely sat there and took one of her hands in his. "I'm glad you're okay, Shari," he spoke softly. "I have ta admit I was kinda scared when I saw dat Morphin' Jar comin' for ya."  
  
  
  
Returning his smile, she squeezed his hand. He looked so cute sitting there with concern in his brown eyes for her. "I was scared too, Joey," she admitted. "But I'm glad that you all were there for me, especially you. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend." Then, before she lost her nerve, she leaned up towards him and planted a soft kiss on his lips this time, hoping that he wouldn't take it too far and read anymore into it than was necessary.  
  
  
  
When she drew back away from him, he sat there for a moment as if in a daze, and in the end it took Tristan to haul him out of the limo so that she could leave. Never had he been kissed by a girl, and he wondered if maybe she really liked him more than just as a friend. But then he thought of her parting words and decided not to get too excited over something as innocent as a kiss...not even if it had been one that he had wished had lasted longer.  
  
When the mansion finally came into view, never had she thought she would see a more welcome sight in her life. What she needed now was to be inside her nice warm bed, although she doubted that sleep would come very easily tonight. But then another thought occured to her that chilled her very blood...what if this person knew she was staying here with Kaiba? Would he try to attack her here?   
  
  
  
She immediately thought of Mokuba and what would happen if he were harmed because of her. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to him...and the only way she could ensure his safety was to leave the mansion altogether. Where would she go? And where would she stay? If it meant that Mokuba's life would remain safe then it didn't matter what happened to her.  
  
  
  
When the limo stopped, she asked the driver to wait here for her for a few minutes, long enough for her to go upstairs and gather what few things she had. Once inside, she was thankful to see that no one seemed to be about, which would make it easier for her to leave...not that she thought anyone would miss her here. In fact, Kaiba would more than likely be glad to be rid of her.  
  
  
  
She quickly gathered her clothing together in the duffle bag that Tea had given her, which was really all she had, and slung it over her back. Going back downstairs, she slipped back outside and ducked back into the limo, thanking the driver for waiting for her. He asked if Kaiba knew she was leaving, and she told him that he had been informed already of her departure.   
  
  
  
As the limo drove away into the darkening evening, she couldn't help but look back at the mansion where she had lived for a short time, tears building up in her eyes and falling down her cheeks. She really wished that she had stayed long enough for her to say goodbye to Seto...she missed him so much already even though they had never gotten the chance to become anything other then tentative friends...if even that. She recalled what had happened between them the last time they had been together, and it made her heart ache to realize that now she would never get to kiss him again, to see the same look in his eyes that he had had that night when he had looked upon her.  
  
  
  
It made the tears come all the faster, but she knew that she had to leave him if it meant keeping his little brother safe from harm. She would be damned if she was going to let the same thing happen to him that had happened to her own family.  
  
Back at the Kaiba mansion, Seto was pacing worriedly within the confines of his office, wondering why it was taking Shari so long to return from her trip to the mall. He hadn't wanted to worry about her, but he couldn't help but worry, and even working on his business reports failed to ease his mind. "Damn you, Shari," he growled. "Where are you?" He didn't even know why he bothered to know where she was...for all he knew she could be hanging out somewhere with that dog Joey. That thought only roused his ire further...for what reason he didn't know, but it was there all the same and he knew he had to find her before it drove him insane.  
  
  
  
Picking up the phone, he dialed Yugi's number, and the younger boy answered it after a few rings. "Yugi, where is she?" Kaiba demanded.  
  
  
  
"Shari? She left here a while ago," Yugi answered. "You mean she's not there yet?"  
  
  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me where she was," he growled.  
  
  
  
"I hope nothing's happened to her," Yugi continued. "After what happened today at the mall, I'm worried for her."  
  
  
  
Kaiba bit off a curse. "You'd better tell me all you know." Yugi explained about the incident at the mall, and needless to say Kaiba was white-knuckled with fear. Add on top of that anger for simply being afraid that something had happened to her, and he was about ready to destroy something...anything. "Thanks, Yugi, for telling me," he finally said. "And don't worry about her...I'll find her," he said then hung up the phone, his stomach twisted into a million knots. "If I have to comb this entire damn city, I'll find you," he added.   
  
*********************  
  
Sounds like he cares for her after all...but has she walked out of his life forever just as he's realized it??? C'mon...what kind of author do you think I am??? ^_~  
  
Thanks for reading!!!  
  



	16. Chapter Sixteen

Yeah...it's about time I updated I know...:p Please don't send Bakura after me...*sniff*  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER SIXTEEN   
  
After driving some distance, Shari finally told the driver to drop her off at a nearby park where she would stay for a bit and collect her thoughts, maybe pull together a plan on where she could go from here. Once outside, she hunkered down against the chill of night, and walked until she found a bench nearby to sit on. Looking around her, she couldn't help but think that at least she had beautiful surroundings to keep her company. All the trees that lined the walkway had been wrapped in white lights, and where the lampposts were shining there was a decorative arch that also sported the same lights. All in all it lit the walkway with suffused light, making for a very beautiful scene, a beauty that she wished she could show Kaiba but now knew that she would never get to.  
  
  
  
At least the wind had died down from earlier so that it no longer cut through her clothing, and for that she was thankful. Her main problem was where to go from here. She had no money, no food, no shelter...what had she been thinking to not at least grab something to eat from the kitchen before she left?   
  
  
  
Hearing a vehicle approach, she wondered if maybe it would stop and possibly be an offer to take her somewhere. Although at this day and time she had to be careful about accepting offers from strangers, for there were some out there which would more than happily take advantage of her situation. The car did stop, but her heart plummeted when she saw it was the same limo that had dropped her off, the driver inside eying her with a frown upon his face. This could only mean one thing, and she knew it to be true the minute she saw him step out of the car.  
  
Kaiba didn't know whether to be relieved at finding her or pissed at the fact that she had just taken it upon her to just leave without telling anyone. Either way, they needed to talk, and he didn't care to do it out here in the freezing cold. "Get in the car, Shari," he ordered tersely.  
  
  
  
Sensing his mood, she wasn't about to give in to him so easily. So she remained out on the bench, ignoring his many demands for her to get inside the car and watching him get even more annoyed by the second. It was when he got back inside and ordered the limo to pull forward that she began to have an inkling of how much trouble she was really in. No sooner had she gotten to her feet than the door shot open and he reached out to practically drag her inside and throw her into the seat opposite him. She shot daggers at him with her eyes, her breathing heavy as she was fully outraged that she had been treated so carelessly. "How dare you treat me like this Kaiba," she began before he cut her off with a glance, one that told her in no certain terms that she was skating on a very thin sheet of ice right about now.  
  
  
  
"How dare I you ask?" he demanded. "How dare you think to leave the mansion like you did, without telling anyone where you were going, much less me..."  
  
  
  
"So now I have to report to you wherever I go?" she shot back, finding strength in her anger. "Funny, because I don't seem to remember that you even cared what happened to me."  
  
  
  
"Now you listen to me, and you listen well," he snarled. "I was worried sick about you, especially after hearing about the little incident at the mall. After Yugi told me what happened--" he started then suddenly stopped, as if hearing what he was saying for the first time. Indeed he had no idea why he had even said such a thing.  
  
  
  
Some of her anger evaporated as she wondered where he was going here, and why he had been worried over her. He had never given her any indication before that he even cared for her at all, the only time he had allowed his barrier to slip was the time they had kissed, and she had begun to believe that that had been a mistake. "What?" she asked, trying to coax a little more out of him. "After hearing about it I would think you would want me gone, being that I'm such a threat to Mokuba."  
  
  
  
Some of his own anger faded as he heard her words and finally figured out why she had chosen to leave. She had not left just to rouse his ire at her, she had left because she felt she was endangering the life of his little brother...and for the life of him he couldn't help but think that it was the most unselfish thing anyone had ever done for him. "You would risk your life just to keep any harm from befalling him?" he asked softly. She nodded in reply, and he leaned forward to take her hands in his own. "Did you ever stop to think about how I would feel if something had happened to you?"  
  
  
  
At hearing those words, her breath caught in the back of her throat. Did he really care about her after all? "How would you feel, Kaiba?" she asked. "I mean, you've made it clear that you care about no one except yourself and Mokuba, so I just assumed that I meant about the same as everything else in your life." There was bitterness in her voice by now, and she didn't know how much longer she could take being here with him...she had to get some air before she lost any more of her senses.  
  
  
  
Pushing the door open, she stepped back out into the cold night, totally ignoring the fact that it had started snowing as she started walking away from the limo. Seto followed after her, catching up to her and grabbing her arm to turn her back towards him. "Shari, please," he pleaded with her. "What do you want me to do? We've only really just met, yet there's something that draws me to you and I don't know what it is. I know I've racked my brain trying to figure out what it is, but I never can seem to figure you out." He took advantage of her speechlessness to touch her cheek with his thumb, even though it was covered with a glove at the moment. "To figure out why it is that you've gotten under my skin so quickly, and why...if I were to lose you, I would never be the same...my life would never be the same."  
  
  
  
She stood there speechless as she let his words sink in, never imagining that he could ever feel this way about her. And for some reason it was at that moment that she realized that it was snowing, and doing so at a pretty good rate since Kaiba's hair and coat were already covered with it. Stepping back from him, she looked up into the sky, letting the soft flakes drift down onto her face. "I can't believe that it's snowing!" she cried. "I've never seen snow before! Oh, it's so beautiful!"  
  
  
  
One of his eyebrows raised. "You've never seen it snow before?" he echoed with more than a little doubt.  
  
  
  
"Well, on TV of course, but living in warm climates all my life I've never had the opportunity to see it for myself," she replied, twirling around in place as she laughed aloud her joy at seeing such a miracle happen. And then a strange thing seemed to happen as it seemed the snow falling around her took up her dance and swirled around her, and he had to blink to clear his eyes since it obviously had to be a trick of the snow. For indeed there was no wind blowing around her.  
  
  
  
At that time he had a disturbing feeling that he had seen this happen before, which was ridiculous since he had never seen her do such a thing before. Instead of fighting it however, he merely accepted it and walked towards her, taking her hand in his and spinning her so that she ended up in the circle of his embrace. And it was then that he realized that never had he seen a more beautiful sight in his entire life, and he wanted nothing more than to see her happy like this always, and he would do whatever he could to ensure that she remained that way.   
  
  
  
Shari gazed up at him, her interest in the snow forgotten as the feel of his arms around her chased away every thought in her mind...except for one and that was wondering if she was dreaming all this. Seto had earned a reputation for caring for no one but himself, but as she looked into his eyes all she could see was something that she herself felt as well. That they were indeed meant to be together as there was no one else that she felt the same way about other than him.   
  
  
  
Reaching up to touch his face with both her hands, she saw his eyes close as he turned his face into one of her palms, softly kissing it. Unable to take anymore, she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss so soft it seemed to take forever, both of them oblivious to the heavy snow falling around them. All that mattered was each other, and now that they were together they both knew that they would stay that way forever.  
  
  
  
Finally both of them pulled apart and simply gazed into each other's eyes, but then she sensed a presence nearby that she thought was long gone since Yami had taken care of it. "Oh no," she breathed, trying to look around to see if he was there.  
  
  
  
Seto was confused as he had no idea what had caused her to stiffen in his arms all of a sudden. "Shari...what's wrong?" he asked, but that was all that he managed to get out before he felt something slam into the back of his head, making him fall limp to the ground.   
  
  
  
She tried her best to ease him down slowly, but he was too heavy for her and she went down with him. "Seto?" she cried as she shook him to try and bring him back around. "Seto...oh, please no," she whispered, then looked up to see a monster towering above her...and not far from it stood Bakura with an evil smirk across his face.  
  
**************************  
  
Uh oh, she's in trouble now...maybe he'll be too busy with her to notice me...^_~  
  
Thanks for reading!!!!!  
  



	17. Chapter Seventeen

Author's Note: Wow...can you believe I finally updated??? I must be sick or something...lol!!! Thanks to all of you who are still reading this...I really appreciate it!!!  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
  
Shari looked up at Bakura with pleading eyes, wondering what it was he wanted from her and what it had to do with Seto. The monster stood nearby, eagerly awaiting a command from its master on what to do next. "Please...what do you want from me?" she pleaded as she looked down at Seto's slack features, his face growing cold from the snow as it melted upon his face and clothes.  
  
Bakura stepped closer towards her. "You already know what it is I want from you, little Shari," he stated. "It's why I have followed you, haunted your every step...I mean to get what I want and I will do whatever's necessary to do it."  
  
As she knelt there shaking in fear, she felt the truth of his words crawl through her soul and freeze her heart. He was the reason why death was her constant companion, had always been ever since she could remember. Her fear melted away on a rising wave of anger, and she felt Makare's power come over her, surrendered herself completely as the spirit took over from here.  
  
"I told you once that you cannot have it, and I still mean it as much as I did then," Makare spoke to Bakura.  
  
Bakura smiled. "And as I said before, I will take it by force if I must," he said, his Millennium Ring flaring to life.  
  
Makare didn't know what was going on as she felt the Ring's power reaching out to envelop her, and all of a sudden her surroundings vanished to reveal a murky gray landscape of shifting clouds...and directly in front of her was Bakura himself. He was sitting in front of a dueling mat...and so was she. Shari lay nearby, looking lost and frightened for all the world.  
  
"Bakura, please, do not do this...she knows nothing about Shadow Duels," Makare pleaded.   
  
Bakura laughed cruelly. "You will duel against me...and if I win then her Millennium Item belongs to me."  
  
Which, Makare realized with a sinking heart, he would easily be able to do since Makare remembered very little about playing the game of Duel Monsters in the first place.  
  
Seto slowly came around to find he had a nasty bump on the back of his head as well as an aching back from his fall to the ground. He didn't remember what happened, only that his head felt like it was going to split apart. But as soon as his gaze fell upon Shari, all thoughts fled as he saw her limp body lying next to his...and he had to wonder if she was even alive. But after checking her breathing, he was relieved to hear her heart beating steadily, although he still wondered why she wasn't responding to his touch when there was no visible evidence of any damage.  
  
One thing did catch his eye, and it was the pendant around her neck, which glowed with an inner light of its own. And looking over at Ryou's limp body upon the ground, he saw around his neck a similar necklace glowing the same way. Obviously this was beyond his ability to figure out, but he knew of one person that would know...and that was Yugi. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, the only person that could help Shari right now was Yugi, and he rose groggily to his feet to stagger over to the limo. The driver inside was slumped over in his seat, but Seto immediately grabbed the phone and dialed Yugi's number, hoping that by some chance that he might be home.

Yugi was in fact home and doing his homework when the phone rang, and when Seto had finished was filled with a fear of his own when he recalled the first shadow duel he had with the mysterious Bakura. He could only hope that Shari could hold out until Yami could get there. He suddenly felt Yami's spirit materialize beside him. "You heard?" Yugi asked somberly, more a statement than a question.  
  
"Yes, and we have no time to lose," Yami said. "If Bakura has Shari trapped in a shadow duel, then Makare is there as well, and the lives of both are at stake. I will not lose her, Yugi," he added vehemently.  
  
"Then let's go," Yugi replied, hoping that they weren't too late already.

Makare was exhausted, barely even holding her own in the duel since Bakura had proved himself a ruthless player. What was worse, she was using Seto's deck, and she had no idea of how to use them. Her only strength came from knowing that if she lost then she would lose Shari...and Yami as well, her beloved husband.  
  
Now it was her turn, and she could only hope that she drew a strong enough card that would help her defeat Bakura and save the lives of the ones she loved. Closing her eyes, she slowly slipped a card from the top of the deck and risked a glance at it.   
  
Her luck had held...not only a good card but the strongest in the deck.  
  
She placed it face up on the mat. "Here is your defeat, Bakura," she spoke. "I play the Blue Eyes White Dragon in attack mode." Before her, the mighty Dragon appeared, sending forth a blinding blast that completely wiped out his defense...and knocked a nice chunk of points from him.  
  
Then he did something that took her completely by surprise...he started laughing. "Oh, how fortunate that this should happen," he crowed. "For I will be handing you your defeat, my dear Makare. I play the magic card...Change of Heart!"  
  
Makare's eyes widened as she knew now that there was nothing she could do to stop it from attacking. He had taken control of her only means of winning this duel...and with it he would crush her completely.

Seto never even imagined that one day he would be glad to see Yugi Motou's face, but now was definitely one of them as he had stayed by Shari's side the whole time and had seen no kind of a response whatsoever from her. "I don't know what's happened to her," Seto told him as he knelt down beside Shari.  
  
"There's a lot you don't know, Kaiba, but right now her soul is trapped in another dimension," Yugi explained, knowing that Kaiba would have absolutely no idea of what he was talking about.  
  
"You're right, Yugi, I don't know," Seto replied. "But whatever you can do for her...just please bring her back."  
  
Yugi looked up into Kaiba's eyes and was surprised at what he saw there. Apparently he had come to care for Shari very much, and he wondered if she felt the same way about him. "I'll do what I can Kaiba," he finally said.  
  
Looks like Makare has her work cut out for her...she's up against the mighty Blue Eyes White Dragon...what could she possibly play against that???  
  
Thanks for reading!!!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Author's Note: Hey...sorry this is so late in coming! There's been a lot happening here lately. My best friend's husband left her about a month ago and she tried to kill herself. She's doing much better now though...I sincerely hope he never comes back. Worthless piece of crap that he is anyway...lol!!!  
  
Enough about that though...here's the next chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything...just my own character...sob  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
  
Yami glanced over at the seemingly lifeless body of Ryou, his jaw tightening as he could only hope that he was going to make it in time to save her from whatever tortures the evil spirit that lived inside the Millennium Ring was doing to her. "I swear to you, Bakura, if you've harmed Makare in any way...you will pay," he growled. Closing his eyes, he focused his spirit to try and locate Makare's in an effort to join her wherever she was inside the Shadow Realm. Soon the familiar grey landscape surrounded him, and it wasn't long before he found her since his soul was connected so tightly to hers. And what he saw froze him completely still as it seemed straight from his nightmares.  
  
It was something that he himself had faced once before...the Blue Eyes White Dragon was a foe not easily vanquished given its immense power. And it was poised to strike at Bakura's command. "Makare!" he cried.  
  
Bakura glanced over to see Yami, his smile widening into a mask of unholy glee. "Oh, I couldn't ask for a better ending! Yami, so good of you to make it here just in time to see me defeat Makare. While you're here, I'll duel you for your own Item, what do you say? Quite the bargain, huh?"  
  
Yami said nothing, only looked at his beloved's wearied form that had now sunk to her knees, her head hanging low as if waiting for the final word that would destroy her. How it hurt him to see her like this!  
  
"You say nothing," the evil spirit gloated. "Perhaps it's because you know that she is doomed, that there is no way that you can help her. Now watch as I deliver the final blow that will destroy her forever!" He threw back his head and laughed maniacally before lashing out his hand towards Makare's crumpled form, speaking the words that would seal her fate forever. "Blue Eyes White Dragon...destroy her!"  
  
The mighty dragon roared and opened it's mouth, mighty bolts of lightning searing their way towards her.  
  
Makare looked up in terror, her eyes meeting with Yami's, and at least she had some comfort that she would see him one last time before she met her end. "Yami..." she breathed as she held out her hand towards him, hoping to touch him still.  
  
"Makare!" he cried as he ran towards her, fear enveloping him as he saw the searing blast enclose upon her....  
  
As she awaited her end, she saw before her a familiar form...that of the Dark Magician. He appeared to be offering her his hand, and she took it without thinking, feeling in an instant the blending of their powers into one. Alone, the Dark Magician could not have withstood the might of the Blue Eyes White Dragon...but with her powers he was able to deflect the blast and remain standing.  
  
Yami halted in his tracks, amazed at what he was seeing before him. It was the familiar form of his favorite duel monster...and yet it was Makare he saw as well. Their forms flickered in and out, but they stood triumphantly in front of their opponent with head held high. "What is going on here?" he breathed, completely baffled.  
  
Bakura was just as confused as Yami was. "What...what is going on here? There's nothing that can defeat the Blue Eyes White Dragon...nothing!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong, Bakura," Makare's voice spoke from the form of the Dark Magician. "Normally the Dark Magician would have been destroyed by the Blue Eyes White Dragon. But with my help he has withstood your attack...and now it is my turn. Dark Magician...send him back to the Shadow Realm where he belongs!"  
  
Summoning both their powers in a single blast, the Dark Magician sent forth a flash of dark energy that completely surrounded Bakura and wiped out all his remaining life points. Almost immediately, Makare and the Dark Magician separated, the duel monster helping her to lie down. It was apparent that she had used every bit of power she possessed to defeat Bakura, and now she was so weak she could barely remain here.   
  
Yami ran over to her, intending to see if she was alright...but right when he got there she disappeared back inside Shari's Item, there to rest and regain her strength. Walking over to Shari, he knelt down beside her and took her hand in his. "Makare, I know you can hear me," he spoke. "You fought bravely, although I do not understand what happened between you and the Dark Magician. Rest and regain your strength, my beloved. I will speak with you soon." Then he turned his gaze to the young girl that was just now rousing. "As for you, I must get you back to your world. Seto awaits you there, and he will be relieved to see you're okay."  
  
Seto wondered for what must be the thousandth time what was going on. Yugi sat beside him, his own Item glowing just as the others' were, and he couldn't help but feel a little out of place. This was something he knew nothing about, and on some level he was a little jealous that Yugi could help save her and he could not. But his main concern was getting her back, and he didn't care what it took. He wasn't about to let her go when they had just admitted their feelings for one another.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yugi move, and then he noticed that Shari's eyes seemed to flutter open a little. "Shari?" he asked, hoping that she was all right.  
  
"Easy, Kaiba, it might take her a little bit to come around," Yugi told him as he rose into a sitting position.  
  
Kaiba looked over at his one time rival, a solemn light in his eyes. "Thank you, Yugi, for helping her," he said.  
  
Yugi smiled, thinking it best not to tell him how close they had both come to losing her completely. "I'm glad I could help," he said. "Thank you for calling me." Rising to his feet, he walked over to help a confused Ryou sit up and give Kaiba some time alone with Shari.  
  
Shari drifted for a time in the realm of her dreams where she saw an epic battle take place over who would take possession of her Millennium Item. The duel was fierce and in the end Makare defeated Bakura, although she could tell that the spirit had been weakened because of it. Looking into her eyes, she could see her weariness as she came to sit beside Shari.  
  
"I hope I never have to do that again," she sighed. "My skills are way out of shape," she added with a smile.  
  
Shari couldn't help but return her smile. "Thank you, Makare, for saving my life."  
  
"To tell you the truth, Shari, I don't even know what happened. All I remember is seeing the Blue Eyes' attack coming for me...and then out of nowhere comes the Dark Magician." She shook her head. "I guess there are some things still left for me to learn about myself."  
  
Shari reached over to take the spirit's hand in her own. "Whatever you find out, you know I'll be there if you need me."  
  
Makare's eyes softened, and she took Shari in her arms for a brief embrace. "Thank you, Shari," she whispered. "Now...isn't there someone out there who you need to be taking care of?"  
  
Realization washed upon her like a wave, and she was suddenly jerked into wakefulness. And the first thing she saw was Seto Kaiba's worried blue eyes staring into hers. "Seto!" she cried, sitting up to throw her arms around him, almost knocking him back in the process. "You're alright!"  
  
When he laughed, it was the sweetest music she had ever heard. "Of course I am, Shari. I was more worried about you." He brushed his fingers lightly upon her cheek, happy beyond words that she was back here with him.  
  
She smiled. "I'm alright now, now that I'm here with you," she said, closing her eyes when he leaned down to kiss her and take her into his arms. And she knew right at that moment that she was where she needed to be, and that she was never going to leave him.   
  
Aww...everything worked out for the best! But what does the Dark Magician have to do with Makare??? That question will be answered in the next fic after this one that I started on some time ago. Should I post that one or not???  
  
Thanks for reading! 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Author's note: I can't believe this is the last chapter...sniff I pretty much say all I wanna say in the next chapter. I'll keep it short here.  
  
The Heart of Eternity by Shelly  
  
CHAPTER NINETEEN  
  
"Wow...sounds like it was a heck of a duel," Joey replied after Shari had told him about what had happened after she had left them at Yugi's house. "I still don' understand how dat coulda happened. I mean...Makare fusin' wit the Dark Magician like dat? Sounds kinda crazy."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders as she toyed with the food on her plate. It was Monday already, and time to go back to school, although it felt like years instead of just a day since the strange events of which she spoke. "Yes, it does," she agreed with a sigh. "I for one am glad that it's all finally over with. I don't have to keep looking over my shoulder anymore...and I finally feel free to get to know someone without fear of hurting them."  
  
When she looked up, she saw Joey's gaze upon her and smiled. "Joey, I wanted to thank you for being there for me. For being such a good friend to me when I didn't want you to be...I suppose being stubborn has it's good points sometimes," she added with a laugh, which he returned with a blush coloring his cheeks.  
  
"Yea, well, I was glad dat I could help ya," he managed to say around his shyness. He also heard the unspoken words that she didn't say. He had noticed that whenever she came around Kaiba, her eyes would light up in a certain way that he didn't see whenever she looked at him. And to see that Kaiba returned the same feelings told him more clearly than words that they were becoming more than friends. And as much as he tried to hide it, he couldn't help but be a little hurt that she had given her heart to someone who, in his opinion, didn't have one to begin with. But it was his opinion, and if being with Kaiba made her happy then he would just have to deal with that.  
  
He was saved from further embarrassment when Yugi came to join them after finishing off his own lunch. "Boy, am I stuffed," he groaned, sitting back and patting his over-filled stomach.  
  
Shari smiled at him and caught Joey's eye again. "Joey, you mind if I talk to Yugi a minute?"  
  
It was a strange question, but he didn't mind since he knew that they would be around one another only because of Makare and Yami. "No prob," he smiled. "See ya after school den."  
  
Once he had left, she sighed deeply since she wasn't sure how to thank Yugi for what he had done for her. He had helped her just as much as Joey had, and in addition, had helped her find someone who she felt a deep kinship with. She knew that Makare still had a lot to learn about herself, and so did Yami, so she had thought long and hard on a plan to try and give the both of them some time together. "Yugi, I wanted to thank you as well for what you have done for me. And Yami as well...so given the fact that Makare and Yami share a past together, I wanted to ask if there's a way we might could hang out sometime. You know...give them both some time together?" She was a little unsure of how to phrase it since she didn't want Yugi to think that she was interested in him in any other way. Deep inside her necklace, she sensed Makare's amusement at her predicament.  
  
His face brightened suddenly and a smile bloomed upon his face. "That sounds great, Shari," he replied. "I had been thinking along the same lines myself since it appears that Yami becomes a little lonely without her around. And maybe we might both find out some more about them at the same time."  
  
She laughed, her mind already coming up with ways for them to spend time together. And she didn't know if it was a trick of light or just her imagination, but it seemed as if she saw Makare and Yami sitting next to her and Yugi, their eyes filled with happiness as they looked upon one another.  
  
She felt a vibration at her side, and she removed a small compact phone from her side to flip it open. Kaiba had given her this phone yesterday in hopes of preventing something from happening to her...or at the very least give her a way to contact him in case she needed his help. She liked to think that he simply wanted to stay in touch with her since he couldn't physically be with her at times. Yugi saw the smile upon her face and made a silent departure, knowing that her mind was on other things at the moment.  
  
Upon flipping it open, she saw the small screen flicker to life to show her a beautiful bouquet of red roses, the sight bringing an even wider smile to her face. Soon the roses were lowered to show Seto's handsome face, and she had to admit that seeing him always sent her heart pounding that much faster.  
  
"Shari," he spoke, "please do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight. I've left a little something for you in your room...I hope you will like it."  
  
Her interest piqued, she couldn't wait till school let out, and she wouldn't see him till tonight since school ended much earlier for him than it did for her. This wasn't the first time that he had left a little something for her to let her know he was thinking of her...earlier that morning she had found a little note inside her locker that simply said, "I miss you." He had surprised her by being so thoughtful...apparently his reputation for being so remote was just an act. Although she knew there was nothing that would ever come between him and his love for business...and dueling as well.  
  
The time finally came, and she practically flew out of there so fast it was surprising that she didn't leave flying papers in her wake. Normally she waited for Joey and Yugi and the three of them left together, but today she was too excited to find out what surprise Seto had in store for her.  
  
The limo ride back to Kaiba's seemed slower than normal, but she endured it peacefully if it meant she would be able to look into his blue eyes once again. Only one day away from him and it had seemed like an eternity. Most would say that it was young love in it's precious first stages...and in some ways she agreed with that. But to her it was beyond that. How else could they have known each other for only a short time and yet feel like they had been together for so much longer?  
  
At times she had to check herself against losing too much control over her emotions around him. How he was able to do that to her scared her a little...but at the same time it thrilled her to experience it.  
  
Finally they arrived at the mansion, and she jumped out of the limo to run inside and dash into her room, suddenly stopping in her tracks when she saw a good-sized box waiting for her on her bed. It was wrapped neatly in gold paper, and in the center of the box was a single red rose with a small card tied to it with gold ribbon. Picking up the rose, she inhaled it's delicate fragrance before opening the card.  
  
"Wear this when next you see me," it read. "I'll be waiting."  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Makare's voice jolted her from her stupor.  
  
Shari sighed. "I've been waiting for this all day long...but now that I'm here...I'm a little scared," she admitted.  
  
"What's to be scared about?" the spirit asked her. "Seto's planned an elaborate dinner from the sound of things, nothing more. Just put your thoughts aside and enjoy the evening."  
  
She had to admit that she was being a little stupid to feel scared of a little thing such as this. "As long as you don't eavesdrop, okay?" she teased with a smile. "The last thing I need is for him to see me laughing at something you've said."  
  
"I promise," Makare replied. "Now hurry up and get ready!"  
  
She quickly tore open the paper covering the box and lifted the lid, removing the tissue paper to reveal a gothic black dress that suprisingly matched her look. Taking it out, she saw it had inch-wide straps at the shoulders, and the bodice was solid black except for a swath of red plaid fabric down the middle crisscrossed with black lace ribbon. The black skirt was pleated, and where the pleats parted the same red fabric could be seen. She loved it the moment she set her eyes on it, and it stopped just above her knees when she tried it on. The one thing she was a little shy of was the way it gave her just the right amount of cleavage, being that she had never had an occasion to ever dress like this.  
  
But that wasn't all that was in the box. To her immense joy, she also found a pair of black leather combat boots that came just to mid-calf length. The outfit was very much to her liking, and she had to wonder who had helped him pick it out. He certainly didn't seem the type to like clothing like this; it seemed that he was totally into business attire so she had assumed that it would be something classy.  
  
Now that the outfit was together, all she had to do was style her hair just right, and she opted to fashion a couple of small ponytails on either side of her head, just enough to give her hair a little more body and far back enough so she wouldn't look too silly. Makare complimented her, saying that she looked very nice indeed, and that helped to lift her spirits a little.  
  
A knock at her door however brought the butterflies back to her stomach, and she nervously approached the door to open it slowly as speechlessness suddenly over took her when she saw who was standing there. This definitely wasn't the Seto she knew!  
  
To match the theme of her attire, he had dressed in black pants that were baggy enough to look very stylish on him. A black long sleeve shirt adorned his upper half, and he wore a silver chain around his neck, as well as one around his right wrist. He also wore a pair of boots that could barely be seen under the cuffs of his pants.  
  
His blue eyes sparkled with amusement at her shocked expression. "See, I'm not all about suits and high collars, Shari," he spoke.  
  
She couldn't fight the blush that rose to her cheeks. "I see that," she finally replied, thinking that she had never seen him look more delicious in her life.  
  
Upon seeing that she wasn't going to move, he reached out and took her hand in his to draw her out into the hallway. "You look beautiful," he told her before kissing her lightly upon her cheek.  
  
"You have good taste," she told him when he pulled away. "You look wonderful as well," she added, wanting to tell him a million things but unsure whether to or not. She was still so new to being so open around people since she had been used to hiding all her life. But she knew one thing, and it was that she wanted to start her new life with the person standing here before her.  
  
Seto saw the slight frown upon her lips and the distracted light in her eyes. "You're thinking too hard again, I see," he teased with a light tap on her nose. "Where would you like to go tonight?"  
  
She smiled. "Anywhere you wish to take me," she replied, taking his arm when he offered it to her. And with that they stepped outside in front of the limo that waited patiently for them. But before they got inside, he turned her so that she faced him and slowly lowered his head down to hers, claiming her lips in a soft kiss.  
  
He didn't know what the future had in store for them. There was no way of knowing, and that bothered him to no end to know that he couldn't control the outcome of whatever was developing between them. But he cared for her, that much he did know, and he wanted to make sure she was happy for as long as she would have him. She meant so much to him, that and more, and whatever the future brought them...they would face it together.  
  
Aww...aren't they just too sweet?  
  
The sequel to this will pretty much pick up where this one left off. Makare and Yami's past together will be revealed, and their relationship together begins to grow. Makare's tie to the Dark Magician will also come to light, and Shari and Seto's relationship encounters some rough road ahead. Does this mean trouble for them, and will Joey be there to pick up the peices???  
  
Oh, the agony!!!  
  



	20. Thanks

THANK YOU!!!  
  
Shelly: Okay...here it is more than a year later since I started this thing and now it's done.  
  
Seto: Yeah...try a year and a half.  
  
Shari: smacks him on the head You said you'd be nice Seto. Be glad she stuck me with you...I could've been with Joey instead.  
  
Seto: Hmph...she knew who was better for you.  
  
Joey: Dat's right! I didn't get ta be wit nobody!  
  
Shelly: That's because you're mine! Glomps Joey  
  
Joey: Can't...breathe...  
  
Shelly: blushes Sorry, Joey.  
  
Bakura: Help me!!! Somebody please...help me!!!  
  
Everyone: OO  
  
Shelly: Ooo...sounds like Schala's on the loose again.  
  
Bakura: Please...make her stop!!!  
  
Shelly: I don't know...after what you tried to do to Makare....  
  
Schala85: Bakura...get back here!!! I haven't finished tying you down yet!!!  
  
Shelly: Looks over to see Valon standing there with a big grin on his face, Mau with him and trying to keep from laughingBe gentle with him, Schala! Now, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted...  
  
Seto: Looks the other way and whistles innocently  
  
Shelly: There's a lot of people out there that I wish to thank. It's a long list too!  
  
Joey: I wanna read em!!!  
  
Shelly: sighs He's so cute...how can I resist? All right, Joey.  
  
Joey: Sticks his tongue out at Kaiba  
  
Seto: What was that, dog? I don't think I told you to speak.  
  
Joey: Darts behind Shelly and hides  
  
Shari: Seto...  
  
Shelly: Seto, behave yourself.  
  
Joey: All right den! First on the list is Schala85...  
  
Everybody: Winces when they hear Bakura's screams of terror and Schala's laughter  
  
Joey: O-kay. Den we have Evil Torture Girls, Tsunami-Surfer, Sakura Kaiba, JAL, Aoi Dragon, Yume E Yui, Anime-Freaks, Lady Brown, Dark Angel 1029, Lady Kaiba, Dark-Egyptian...  
  
Seto: Notice there are some Kaiba's in there? Smiles  
  
Shari: Raises an eyebrow Am I gonna have to fend off some fan girls, Seto?  
  
Joey: All right already, let's get de show on da road...Vegetasgirl4eva, Lady Light, Koujo Wheeler...  
  
Shelly: Notices Joey has become quiet Joey, you all right?  
  
Joey: Yesss...I have a fan girl out dere!!!  
  
Seto: Oh, brother...  
  
Joey: Hehe...Luna, Niva, Solo Girl, Sakura Dragon Duelist, Bronze Star, Amanda Barton, Marikzgal4eva, Kitsune, Mystry Child, Blue-Wolf, Mage of the White Beast, Rose Kaiba...  
  
Seto: You were saying?  
  
Joey: Grumbles Cap'n Spiffy, Einstein, Bigfuzzydice Person, Kikyu, Crystal, and Ame Lockheart. Whew, dat was a long list!  
  
Shelly: Grins Thank you, Joey. You're too sweet.  
  
Joey: Blushes  
  
Shelly: Seriously, though, I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed. You guys kept me going...and I never thought I'd finish this at one point! I'd almost given it up...but I remembered Kaiba still had what was coming to him...;)  
  
Seto: Rolls his eyes  
  
Joey: Snickers  
  
Shelly: Anyway, I'm looking forward to starting on the sequel to this. I don't know how much time I'll have in the future to work on it. My life's about to change in a big way real quick...my hubby was diagnosed with cancer and it's gonna be a rough time of it. Good thing I've already got a lot of the main parts already written...now all I've gotta do is start filling in what I need. Thanks again and maybe I'll see ya soon! 


End file.
